The Acadia campus has seen an uprising of rain boots as a replacement for snow boots. This new trend is interesting for many reasons. It highlights a minimalist attitude towards fashion that is making a comeback not only in the entertainment industry, but also with things such as office supplies,electronics, and many other conceptual designs. According to becomingminimalist.com, minimalism is seen as the intentional promotion of things we value, and the taking away of anything else that does not fit that description. It encourages people to own fewer things and to try to find more than one use for everything they have. Winter fashion isn’t the only thing that represents minimalist thinking, but the fact that people are interested in a minimalist approach is interesting. The approach is almost a statement of the peace that people find in having less.
What is it about fashion that makes minimalist thinking so appealing? Companies such as Apple and Google have applied minimalist thinking in the way that they structure their websites. If you were to look at an iPhone or look at the homepage of Google, you would find very few things to look at. This approach has become popular in recent years, and is expected to continue growing in strength. In terms of the fashion industry, minimalist thinking highlights an uncluttered life and a confidence in knowing that there is more to everything than what you think.The electronic industry has been simplifying an average office desk for the last 40 years. Before,employees would have a calendar, address book, telephone, file folders, speakers, CDs and DVDs and other stationary items. With the rise in computer usage, people have started to rely on one device to do a multitude of things. There is much speculation that the origin of minimalist thinking comes from electronic developments that have taken place. So what does this mean in relation to fashion? Perhaps the minimalist approach that has happened with regard to computers is also happening with fashion.Perhaps people have internalized a new way of thinking. Suddenly having a computer that can do multiple things at once is seen as having something that is more valuable. This may be where the link between minimalism and value has originated.The rain boot phenomena may suggest that people have internalized a connection between minimalist orientation and wealth. The less you own, the more expensive your belongings appear. Value has returned to the common rain boot. Such a design would allow for many different functions, as most people only associate rain boots with rain. The use of the rain boot with snow has achieved the same effect as a computer that can both tell time and classify folders. Wealth has been associated with a less is more attitude. Perhaps people have become affected by computers more than they initially thought possible.
