https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 26 Apr 2026 17:09:46 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1158337 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 10:28:36 +0000 Deborah 1158337@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In relation to my wardrobe, I would use the word curate to mean I carefully organise and oversee the contents of my wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1158308 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 07:18:06 +0000 E 1158308@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm so glad I saw this thread in the little margin of the main forum (I always forget about this board), because I loved reading everyone's thoughts!</p> <p>I associate curating with museums and art galleries, in which objects can be depicted in various ways to highlight different themes or relationships, and in which the space itself is a major compenent. In the sense of applying it to clothing, in my mind it would involve the careful, deliberate creation of a collection, both by bringing in new things and removing old ones. It definitely doesn't imply to me that the clothes are there to look at rather than be worn though!</p> <p>Like Runcarla, I like how the word feels, because it reflects how clothes can be both practical and useful, how they're physical objects (textiles) but carry so many associations and histories to them as well. It reminds me of the William Morris quote, and it also feels like a caring word to me. Curators pay attention to details and physically care for the objects as well, keeping them in as good condition for as long as possible.&nbsp;It can also turn into&nbsp;fun extended metaphor:&nbsp;your closet rods &amp; drawers &amp; shelves are your space,&nbsp;your essentials (in <a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/2012/08/29/revisiting-your-personal-wardrobe-essentials/">Angie's meaning</a>)&nbsp;would be the permanent collections, seasonal swaps would be the rotating collections,&nbsp;and the trends/new-to-you styles would be travelling exhibits. Or if you wanted to reflect on it as an individual outfit, your body would become the space, which your clothes must be arranged on in a way that displays some kind of relationship.</p> <p>I suppose inherent in my feel for a curated wardrobe then is the idea that it's being used. I don't see the word curating as an excuse to buy clothes that won't be worn! I haven't actually run across the word on many blogs, but the style blogs I follow tend to be smaller and quirkier. I have seen it on a couple of 'minimalist' style blogs.&nbsp;I can see how people coming from a museum or academic background, who actually work as curators, would resist the way the word is now being used. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157939 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:45:29 +0000 Carla 1157939@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We'll...I ascribe to the 'careful selection' process. My first 'real' job after uni was a 1 year contract as a Curatorial Assistant at an exhibition centre. Most of my work involved editing collections for display, then installing said display, writing exhibit reports, packing the collections and sending them off for rotation elsewhere, then starting all over again.</p> <p>Art, quilts, photography, crafts, historical artifacts, all kinds of cool things!</p> <p>The concept of a carefully curated wardrobe had resonance for me, because the connotation is a collection of favourite beautiful things within some limits as set by me! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157659 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:23:55 +0000 April 1157659@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That is an incredibly helpful and detailed explanation, Ceit. &nbsp;Thank you. &nbsp;I love learning a bit about fields so different from my own. &nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157642 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:13:20 +0000 Anonymous 1157642@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>April -- yes, so say ceramic dishes for example. In the archaeological record, we would generally be able to date something because it has a definite start of production, and an end of production when it is no longer made.</p> <p>What that translates to is frequencies. So early in the lifecycle of an artifact, we wouldn't find high frequencies because only a few people have them. Then, usually something gets really popular, and as it breaks is thrown out, etc. so we would find tons of a particular pattern of dishes, say. Then, as something new comes in, we would see a big reduction in frequency as people would shift to the next new pretty pattern, dishes break and can no longer be replaced with the same pattern, pattern stops being made etc.</p> <p>Where curation comes in is sometimes you inherit Great grandma's or grandma's dishes, that suddenly are a generation or two out of sync with the rest of the consumption cycle. Because they were curated, you then would see a pop back up of frequency of an artifact that you know to be basically not popular any more or you know it stopped being made at a certain time.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157632 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:08:26 +0000 rachylou 1157632@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmm. I think in the context of clothes, it's like in editing a shop or a room's decor. A theme is required, like Astrid mentioned, and when you edit you eliminate anything extraneous. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157610 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:02:17 +0000 catgirl 1157610@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>April, yes. It's lost its real meaning in favor of justifying purchases and clothing collections. At least that was my sense. I am a huge stickler for the proper use of words, but I also realize that language is fluid. Still, use matters! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157590 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 17:55:25 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1157590@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think I textually rolled my eyes at this in Alaskagirl's earlier thread. What I think people who are using it in the context of clothing are trying to say is that it's ok that not every item get worn all the time - in other words, items in a curated collection can be 'worthy' in their own right and not just because they look good on or make an outfit work. Sort of that they can exist as works of craftsmanship / art and not just as useful objects. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157540 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 17:20:12 +0000 April 1157540@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ah, okay, I'm seeing the problem. &nbsp;The word, which properly means something like "educated selection," is getting tossed around so widely it's also now being misused to mean "amassing" by people who heard it in the context of the word&nbsp;"collection" and assumed that curating meant acquiring a bunch of stuff. &nbsp;</p> <p>Does that seem right?</p> <p>I try not to be a total stickler about language since it does have fluidity and that makes it fascinating, but I do want to know what people mean when they use a word.</p> <p>@Ceit -- since I'm an archaeological nincompoop, can you say more about this? &nbsp;It sounds so intriguing but I don't think I understand. &nbsp;Do you mean like preserving a wedding gown and giving it to your daughter? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157517 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 17:02:32 +0000 Astrid 1157517@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Una, I wouldn't say minimal or limited. The collection can be big <i>if the items are chosen with care</i>. But "stuff" isn't curated IMO, it's stuff. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157503 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 16:41:21 +0000 Emily 1157503@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>alaskagirl -&nbsp;lol @ the no less annoying synonym line. &nbsp;</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://thesaurus.com/browse/curator">http://thesaurus.com/browse/curator</a><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://thesaurus.com/browse/custodian">http://thesaurus.com/browse/custodian</a></p> <p>Perhaps in future I will steward my wishlist. &nbsp;Or be its Cerberus. &nbsp;Sounds exciting! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157497 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 16:37:11 +0000 catgirl 1157497@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><a href="http://ny.racked.com/archives/2010/10/26/is_curate_the_most_abused_fashion_word_of_2010.php" rel="nofollow">http://ny.racked.com/archives/.....f_2010.php</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157492 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 16:34:00 +0000 Emily 1157492@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm with you -&nbsp;a careful selection process. &nbsp;When used outside of the context of an art gallery or museum collection it&nbsp;implies to me that the items are handled and stored&nbsp;with care. </p> <p>ETA - when I mentioned "curating" my wishlists/pinboards in my wanting more and less&nbsp;post yesterday I meant that I have been reviewing and refining them and not just adding things to them. &nbsp;:)</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157470 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 16:18:23 +0000 catgirl 1157470@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That is right, Astrid. But I think the first place I saw the word used was on Sea Of Shoes. Does curating imply minimal or limited, do you think? Or has it come to mean "stuff you've chosen"? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157456 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 16:08:20 +0000 ManidipaM 1157456@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Cirating implies thoughtfulness and discrimination to me. Hoarding is almost the opposite, being typically habitual or reactive. Collecting does not imply these to me--it can be more passionate or more habitual or just a sort of inertoa... but not necessarily. Some collectors are excellent curators, others not so much. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157441 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:56:58 +0000 Astrid 1157441@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Una, collecting is right, but I would only call a collection curated when the pieces have been carefully chosen and there's a theme. A big pile of shoes that are there because they were expensive and available doesn't count. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157435 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:52:42 +0000 catgirl 1157435@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maybe not hoarding...but more like collecting vs. actually using. I'm thinking of the Kardashians with their five billion shoes on display like a museum exhibit - there can't possibly be enough time in a life to wear them all. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157432 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:50:22 +0000 Astrid 1157432@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Where have you read it used like that? To me "curated" is all about a careful selection to advance a collection. Nothing to do with hoarding or stockpiling. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157427 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:46:31 +0000 Anonymous 1157427@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Archaeologically, it can mean items that are kept outside the normal usewear cycle and passed on later. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157425 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:44:21 +0000 Mo 1157425@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>&nbsp;I think it means 'carefully selected and gathered together' but not sure what the masses think lol. &nbsp;But then, I also fully expect the masses to make 'melty' a word next year because they've seen too many bad TV ads. &nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157422 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:41:49 +0000 catgirl 1157422@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I brought this up a while back! Let me see if I can find the thread....</p> <p>ETA <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/hoarding-vs-curating" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....s-curating</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-we-talk-about-the-meaning-of-curated#post-1157411 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:31:54 +0000 April 1157411@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lately I've been seeing this word used to mean&nbsp;hoarding or stockpiling. &nbsp;I always thought it was intended to signify a careful selection process rather than a process of amassing. &nbsp;Am I mistaken in this? &nbsp;I know that word meanings are somewhat fluid and can shift as they're used.&nbsp;&nbsp;I just want to understand what people mean when they use the word "curated."</p> <p> </p>