We shouldn't feel guilty for enjoying fashion

Eh?
Am I supposed to be outraged by this? And this is supposed to be newsworthy 20 years later?

Am I supposed to be outraged by this? And this is supposed to be newsworthy 20 years later?

21 years last Sunday. I wouldn't say "outrage", just astonishment at the utter tone-deafness of a fashion reporter being right in the middle of a major disaster and filing a report on shops being closed instead of the important stuff that was going on.

If they were filing a report for a fashion section then what's the problem with that?

If they were filing a report for a fashion section then what’s the problem with that?

Well, basically, everything was shut down so the fashion report side of things was pointless. However, there was a professional writer right in the middle of it all, at the hospital talking to people, and it never occurred to her that maybe writing a story about that would be what any journalist would think of first. Just because you're a fashion writer doesn't mean you can't do some news reporting when there is a big story right in front of you.

You have an unhealthy relationship with twitter, step away and take a break.

You have an unhealthy relationship with twitter, step away and take a break.

Excellent advice. Thank you for that.

What a bizarre post.

Write about what you know. I think they kinda set the scene. Quite well, the unnecessary shut but people still need pants.

To be honest who cares, they did the best thing they could possibly do, walked into a hospital and gave what they needed and they sat with people on probably the worst days of people's lives.

Joshvegas +1

I'm more questioning why the Twitter user who reposted and criticised a 20+ year old article felt the need to do that and also why they didn't recognise the role of editorial staff in choosing whether that content was fit to publish or not.

It's also clearly been written a number of days later and makes the point that retailers were paying their respects with messages of condolence in the shop fronts.

Maybe they themselves were in a state of shock, maybe they wake up every night screaming about how they got that one article all wrong in the wake of a massive terrorist attack because they were so far out of their comfort zone and didn't know what to do. A lot of whataboutery but before you slam someone or their actions it's perhaps worth thinking a bit harder about why something may have came to pass as it did.

Save the ire for the people who did it, the people who nefariously turned events to their personal advantage or who misrepresented facts and for those who create and maintain the political environment in which terrorism brews and grows.

The guy who posted it on Twitter works for Buzzfeed, that renowned haven of journalistic integrity and quality.

Also, there's a distinction between a writer and a journalist.

Should probably point out that the writer does commit the stories to paper but presumably they were part of another article or, an actual article. As opposed to what looks like a personal column.

So. What.

In the quest for hunting down things on the internet to be outraged at I have to admit this is an impressivly obscure find.

Journalist on scene of major terrorist attack writes to their strengths and provides content they are paid for. What that pathetic twitter post doesn't look into is whether the journalist also provided content to other parts of the newspaper because that wouldn't be at all outragous would it.

But that's cool. It's OK. I bet that journalist is loving all the extra social media abuse they are now getting as a result of this manufactured outrage. Slow. Clap.

Well this ain't the thread of gaiety I was expecting!

Also, there’s a distinction between a writer and a journalist.

Yes, there is, but it doesn't take a trained investigative reporter to so some simple on the ground reports about what they are seeing and hearing. The writer worked for a publication that also published news and tried to phone in a fashion story in the middle of a terrorist attack, which is quite bizarre. Maybe, as well as reporting that the fashion show was cancelled, an on-the-ground first-hand report would have a useful thing.

The writer worked for a publication that also published news and tried to phone in a fashion story in the middle of a terrorist attack, which is quite bizarre.

Meh. This post is bizarrer.

Yes, there is, but it doesn’t take a trained investigative reporter to so some simple on the ground reports about what they are seeing and hearing. The writer worked for a publication that also published news and tried to phone in a fashion story in the middle of a terrorist attack, which is quite bizarre. Maybe, as well as reporting that the fashion show was cancelled, an on-the-ground first-hand report would have a useful thing.

Like every 24h round the clock news channel was doing every day?

what was the reporter supposed to submit? the same "its dusty. lots of people are dead" as everyone else? Writing from their specific perspective helps readers build a picture up of the overall situation, how it affected life outside of the immediate, well told stories of the direct destruction.

Like every 24h round the clock news channel was doing every day?

Having someone on the ground was the thing. All public transport was shut down, there was no way to get reporters to the scene. Having someone actually there but trying to phone in a fashion show story was bizarre.

The writer worked for a publication that also published news and tried to phone in a fashion story in the middle of a terrorist attack, which is quite bizarre. Maybe, as well as reporting that the fashion show was cancelled, an on-the-ground first-hand report would have a useful thing.

Do you know that they didn’t also do that?

Devils advocate here

I’m seriously injured after a terrorist attack. In hospital I talk briefly to a women admitted to give blood. Turns out she’s a journalist and my story is all over the internet. I’m quite annoyed

She is a fashion writer, who in the middle of a disaster gets tasked to do something she is ill prepared for even in ideal conditions. Even in the middle of that she gives blood that could save someones life, and lends a sympathetic ear to some scared people without intruding on their privacy.

But her writing doesn't meet with the approval of thols2's twitter bubble, so he picks up the ball and runs with it deciding to come and share the criticism on STW as well, and showing all the self appreciation and common sense of a maga nut, ignores everyone who disagrees with his twitter informed offence, and keeps on running.

But her writing doesn’t meet with the approval of thols2’s twitter bubble, so he picks up the ball and runs with it deciding to come and share the criticism on STW as well, and showing all the self appreciation and common sense of a maga nut, ignores everyone who disagrees with his twitter informed offence, and keeps on running.

You might be over-reacting a little. I thought it was quite strange to phone back to a media office and try to do a fashion report in the middle of one of the biggest news stories of the last few decades. Obviously, I have offended your sensibilities. For that, I sincerely apologize. Next time I post anything, I will check in with you first that it meets your approval. If you have a list of stuff that doesn't meet your standard, it would help if you could post it now, it would save time later.

Also, if you think it's not interesting, you aren't forced to comment. You can just ignore stuff that you think isn't worthy.

. I thought it was quite strange to phone back to a media office and try to do a fashion report in the middle of one of the biggest news stories of the last few decades.

A "fashion report"? No it isn't. The irony is the apparent common ground between the twitterers and al Qaida, on such ephemeral western fripperies as posh high street clothes shops.

Obviously, I have offended your sensibilities. For that, I sincerely apologize. Next time I post anything, I will check in with you first that it meets your approval. If you have a list of stuff that doesn’t meet your standard, it would help if you could post it now, it would save time later.

I can almost taste the hypocrisy

We shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying fashion

Every time I see the title I'm sucking my cheeks in and turning to one side. (I can only turn right..)

Also, if you think it’s not interesting, you aren’t forced to comment. You can just ignore stuff that you think isn’t worthy.

How would you know who you've offended with your lack of worthiness unless they post a really worthy post stating how unworthy yours is??

How would you know who you’ve offended with your lack of worthiness unless they post a really worthy post stating how unworthy yours is??

I'm not going to respond to a comment so lacking in worthiness.

I thought it was quite strange to phone back to a media office and try to do a fashion report in the middle of one of the biggest news stories of the last few decades

Someone who was quite possibly badly shocked by events and had blood loss (albeit by donation) defaulting to the subject they know best. I would guess a fashion journalist is going to be a fashion person first rather than a journalist who just happens to cover fashion.
So whilst unfortunate for the paper that they didnt have a war correspondent or similar around its not really that odd.

I'm glad I wasn't there. If I had been, photos of smashed up half buried bikes would no doubt have been the content I would have posted. In such devastation, you are bound to cling to what you know. The human cost was so high, I can't see how you could get that across unless you were in some way prepared for it... a war correspondent or something. Or just an unbelievably strong character with a special gift for retelling stories of loss. There is no shame in not being that person at that time. Very few of us could be. I'm pretty sure I couldn't.

+1 Kelvin, though I couldn’t have expressed it anywhere near as well.

Ok so the thread title was OK, so does anyone want to discuss fashion?

I quite like a bit of fashion, the way it changes and morphs with the times. Not just clothing fashion but fashion in architecture, cars, bikes, the way we speak, hell even politics can be said to follow fashions. It's our culture speaking back to us.

There is no shame in not being that person at that time. Very few of us could be. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t.

Absolutely nailed it.

The only shame is idiots on twitter (who weren't there) dragging up a 20 year old story to generate some outrage traffic. And probably resulting in the person who phoned in that report getting more abuse on social media, making an already traumatic day even more unbearable. But it got the clicks, eh?

Ok so the thread title was OK, so does anyone want to discuss fashion?

I quite like a bit of fashion, the way it changes and morphs with the times. Not just clothing fashion but fashion in architecture, cars, bikes, the way we speak, hell even politics can be said to follow fashions. It’s our culture speaking back to us.

Came across an old backissue of The Outcast where the editorial laments how singlespeeding had passed through the whole fashion cycle from niche, to cool, to popular and thence became uncool as it's popularity.

And for some reason the image that sprung to mind* given this forums demographic was "superdry dad's", and the idea that in 5-10 years time they'll all be wearing Trapstar hoodies.

*Actually, being too geeky for my own good the thing that actually sprang to mind first was that he was just describing an differential relationship where "cool" was actually just the second order differential of popularity. So things are only cool when the rate at which the rate of popularity is going up is positive, you can only be cool in the first and last quarters of the bell curve.

I thought it was quite strange to phone back to a media office and try to do a fashion report in the middle of one of the biggest news stories of the last few decades

I think the consensus is that it's not strange for someone to do their job, in a way they are trained/experienced while also going above and beyond in terms of blood donation. It's your right to feel aggrieved by a 20 year old article, but as other posters have commented they are not aggrieved and support the writer.

Having someone actually there but trying to phone in a fashion show story was bizarre.

Consensus of posters is that its not bizarre

an on-the-ground first-hand report would have a useful thing.

Plenty of other reports. Not sure how exactly this would have been useful. Fairly easy to see the link between fear derived from reports and that resultant fear being in the terrorists interests.

Also, if you think it’s not interesting, you aren’t forced to comment. You can just ignore stuff that you think isn’t worthy.

So if someone doesn't agree with an Ops frame of reference/feelings then they shouldn't comment on/contribute to a thread? Now this really is a bizarre comment, you appear to be defending your right to your opinion while trying to stamp on those who's differs from yours.

This feels more like a troll than a personal grievance. In what way has it caused any offence or harm? It could almost be argued that it helped bring the story to a wider audience or that it helped give some distraction for readers who were spiralling from the terrible news while being somewhat linked.

Not just clothing fashion but fashion in architecture,

I was only just the other day wondering at what point "dark grey" windows etc will become the new stone cladding.

Yep, thanks to fashion we don't get too bored with same old stuff.

I quite like a bit of fashion, the way it changes and morphs with the times

Daarling, fashion is only for people why don't have style

Well, quite, but it can't be denied

Yep, thanks to fashion we don’t get too bored with same old stuff

Fashion is a system to persuade us to buy new stuff, particularly cloths, before they have reached the end of their useable life

That's a very good point and applies to all aspects of fashion to some extent.
Slave labour is another massive downer.
Throw-away fashion is not defendable from an ethical or environmental standpoint so I certainly won't try.
Like I said it reflects our culture.

@thols2 just to try and get some context here I'm going to ask a personal question with the express caveat that not looking for details.

Have you ever experienced a traumatic event? Like, not just deeply unpleasant but on the level of ****ed up that you end up with PTSD?

Because if you've not then you really have no right to cast judgement here. And if you have you should really know better.

@squirrelking
Yes, I have. Have you? If you have, you'd know better than ask that question of people. Or do you just think it's a clever debating trick that gives you an automatic check-mate whenever you throw it out there?

I secretly love fashion. Proper haute couture is craft at an astonishingly high level, and seems massively under rated as an art form. Even fast fashion as a creative vehicle for (usually) young women has its place, although there’s too much exploitation at every level for me.

Delete twitter, put away your keyboards and watch the sewing bee is my advice.

I think if somebody from a cycling mag was there and wrote an article from a cyclist's perspective it might feel more poignant to people who read cycling mags than the wall to wall stuff that was written at the time.