Not Everyone Needs to Be a Fashion Critic

When did we lose the art of enjoyment? These days, the average person loves a think piece—specifically, having their own and putting it out there for the world to see. It stems from this new access we have on the internet to each other. On spaces like TikTok, Instagram, and X and Threads, we can reach beyond our narrow circles into the phones of literally anyone else. Out of this environment, we’ve normalized an even more extreme parasocial nature between celebrities, influencers, and each other. The new internet landscape involves users analyzing and critiquing anyone who chooses to try or put themselves out there, serving as amateur publicists, stylists, and brand-image architects. There’s an element of this new world order that’s thrilling—our opinions matter! But...what’s that phrase about opinions again?I’d argue that we’ve critiqued ourselves into mass hysteria, conflating personal opinion with expertise. Just because someone has something to say doesn’t mean they actually know what they’re saying. There once was a time when people took the time to learn, gain experience, and work in a specific field so they’re equipped to handle certain industries. But now, everyone simply thinks they know enough about everything. And it's making fashion and entertainment commentary less fun for everyone involved.Over the last few weeks, with Fashion Month, the Emmys, and the VMAs, we were inundated with sartorial opinions on the internet. Top of mind for me was Shailene Woodley’s Emmys look.Kevin Winter//Getty ImagesAfter hyping her up the week prior for winning an award in a chic, tiny white dress while her ex tried to drag her but failed, we were collectively excited to see her back in the limelight wearing something else to shove in said ex’s face. But her red carpet look—from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga F/W 26 haute couture collection—got a different reaction.NBC//Getty ImagesVideos and tweets immediately proclaimed that this singular “bad outfit” was ruining her rebrand. That her stylist needed to be fired, and that this isn’t what they’d put Shailene in, as if they’ve ever styled anyone outside of themselves.Even looks from Love Island USA’s Olandria Carthen were examined during fashion week, some fans disagreeing with her stylists’ choices, wondering why they’d put her in a certain look when fashion is meant to be explorative. There’s this belief because our favorite celebrities and influencers are under our watchful eye that we should also control their sartorial choices, and the things they’re unafraid to try.Valentina Frugiuele//Getty ImagesWhat happened to fun? What happened to laughing with friends about hating an outfit, loving another, and moving on with your life? When the level of criticism goes from a simple “woof, I wouldn’t wear that myself” to an actually serious call to “fire her team,” we’ve lost the plot.I get that being the fashion police is part of the fun of fashion as a regular person. My entire childhood was spent at home with my mother, watching America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway, critiquing model walks and quick-turn clothing designs; then I went outside, got a degree in that field, and now I'm doing just that. I studied, learned, and am still learning.Proximity does not equal knowledge. Not every bad look is worth your internet thoughts. Not everything needs to be dissected to death. Hustle culture has warped our minds. It’s got us out here performing corporate job duties in our off hours (I see you all with your power points and production-quality video equipment). Not everything needs a thesis. Sometimes, it’s okay to let a dress you hate be just that, and move on. We’re all chasing this constant need ot fill the void, to fill up space online, when everything doesn’t need to be that serious. Maybe the ultimate critique is refusing to have one at all.Aiyana Ishmael is the style editor at Cosmopolitan magazine. In her work, Aiyana focuses on the culture of fashion and how it intertwines and shapes the zeitgeist. She is an award-winning journalist from Miami, Florida, and a graduate of the historically Black university, Florida A&M. She is a 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30: Media honoree, and her debut romance novella PASSING GAME is set to release March of 2027 (831 Stories/Simon & Schuster).