Many are followers. Others are born to lead. In fashion, that can lead to looks that turn heads because they’re so unique and daring. But beware: cutting edge fashion can also look all wrong and leave heads shaking rather than turning.

What’s Edgy?
It could be what you wear. It could be how you wear it.

If you’re a very low-key person and you wear something loud, it will bump up your edge.
But it works the other way too. If you’re very much out there, but dress like you’re standing in the library stacks you’re also showing some edge. It’s about the unexpected. And how you carry it off.


Microfibres and Foil Fabrics
Sometimes the thing that makes your clothes look edgy is the fabric itself. It’s stiff and creates a new shape, or it’s very soft and molds to your form. It’s sink-your-fingers-into-it plush, or its thin as a whisper. It’s all shine and dazzle, or it’s muted and so close to your skin tone you can’t tell where one stops and the other begins.

It could be the cut: sharp and irregular, or soft and swirling. It could simply be how you put one thing with another: Canvas shorts over fishnets over primary color tights tucked into cowboy boots. It could be the accessories. It could be the silk mesh hat you choose to offset the long undershirt dress. It could be the design of the dress itself.

Edgy by Design
Betsey Johnson makes a dress differently than Armani. Diane von Furstenberg style is different from that of Dean and Dan Caten. That seems obvious. But put two different women in the same Betsey Johnson outfit and one will look edgy, while the other just looks silly.

It has to do with character and age and where you intend to wear the style. Not unlike haircuts. 50 year old bankers don’t usually wear mohawks and muscle shirts in the bank. 20 year old music store clerks aren’t usually the type to wear French braids and lederhosen on the job. But there are always exceptions. It all comes down to a question of edge.