Crush on glossy? You’re not the only one with a taste for a little glitter and gold. Look around and one can’t help but notice a world full of over-the-top bling. Glittering diamonds, sequined evening wear, cosmic glamour and fancy cars are at the ready, forever catching both our eyes and our wallets.
The human attraction to pretty, shimmering objects is nothing new however, and despite our creativity and style, it may not even have its origins in our glitzy man-made objects. According to some theories, what draws us in and keeps us there when it comes to shiny things is deeper than our modern day perceptions that associate them with wealth, luxury and even sophistication. In fact, tests done a few years ago at the University of Belgium in collaboration with University of Houston, and a number of other studies over time, suggest that there’s more to our fondness of bling and dazzle than just our cultural connections or its visual appeal. Instead, psychological research demonstrates that our attraction to lustre is evolutionary and mired with a single purpose – to satisfy our most basic of instincts, our body’s innate need for water.
Today, matte is trending, gender neutral and upcycled fashion is prominent on the runways, is shiny sending the wrong message in some cases. Will our glossy-water connection continue to mesmerize us or will it fade?
Your guess is as good as mine but, if Taylor Swift’s “Paper Rings” has any message at all, for me, it is to not let shiny things get in the way of authenticity.
Caroline Tapp-McDougall,
Editor-in-Chief
caroline@bcsgroup.com
