I'm not sure I'd say Fashion is important to me. I'm more interested in cultivating a unique representation of style that is highly reflective of my personality/tastes (who I am). I think Fashion is a good avenue for experimenting with my creative expression in that regard. I've never been beholden to Fashion (Occasionally I like an "it" bag because it appeals directly to me in some way, but I've never wanted to run out and buy something because it was "in fashion" it just may be that it is coincidentally something that appealed to me (like pajama jeans for their comfort factor).
Often when something becomes extremely fashionable I find myself developing more of an aversion to the look than the opposite.
...and while I do appreciate certain brands and stalk particular items from said brands, I do so because there is some element of it that I really like, not because it's by that particular brand.
Folks I work/have worked with always tell/told me things like "you always look so fashionable" or "you're so fashion forward" but I've never considered myself such nor do I dress with the intent of trying to be. I just like using (lowercase "f") fashion as a mechanism for creativity or creating a work of persona self expression --much in the same way I would/did back when I was an illustrator and painter. It's just that now I use my body as the canvas.
I do enjoy reading certain fashion blogs for inspiration (along with a whole lot of other sources of inspiration) and to see what's going in the fashion world. So YLF is definitely not my only source of information. It is one of many and the reason why I like it here imparticular is because of the strong sense of community, which I think most other sources lack.
Not sure that answers your question in the way you meant it... and yeah, I couldn't agree more with the the whole "no lipstick on the cup" thing in those photos. It sort of makes me laugh a little because it adds to the whole staged look of the photo, imho. If I'm wearing a deep shade of lipstick, even the kind that's more of a stain designed to last all day, there's gonna be lipstick on that cup rim (or wine glass, or water glass, or any other vehicle for imbibing fluids!)
