3 Functional Fashion Items

Clothing has always served a purpose whether it was to protect our feet from rugged earth, stop our skin from burning, or to keep us warm. From the basic designs of our ancestors, clothing developed into complex styling to form an important part of what we would eventually call ‘fashion’.

It is only natural that at some point advances in technology would become integrated with our clothing to form functional fashion items that might one day be commonplace should the need arise. 

Many science fiction movies have offered a glimpse of future fashion items such as the self-lacing trainers from Back to the Future and information visors from Star Trek The Next Generation. While they aren’t quite the same, real versions are probably better as with Nike Adapt BB trainers and Google Glass AR goggles. However, both of these are very expensive and while impressive aren’t really necessary.

But there are some items around at the moment that could catch on since there is a need for them which currently growing:

• Face coverings
• Smart jackets
• Exoskeletons

At the moment, face coverings are everywhere as a necessity during the pandemic while smart jackets are becoming more useful and exoskeletons, while currently expensive, are improving all the time.

Necessary and Cool

Because of Covid-19, we are all wearing face coverings or masks when we are in public such as shopping or at work, but they have been around for some time as a functional and fashionable item. 

The citizens of Beijing for example have been wearing face masks for decades so as not to breathe in the smog of the city (perhaps some Breathing apparatus would be more appropriate) while Michael Jackson famously sported face masks when out in public; perhaps the fashion and music icon really was ahead of his time.

At the moment face masks are everywhere and almost from day one manufacturers were offering customized face masks that would look more attractive and fashionable as opposed to the rather dull plain black, dark blue, or even the dreaded surgical mask. Novelty masks are also available such as Minions, evil clowns, and mustaches and beards but there are some great alternatives that you could actually use as part of a fashion ensemble.

There are many masks on offer in all colors that would suit your clothing such as pinks, blues, reds, white and geometric prints, and since the virus isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, you might as well make your masks part of your fashion as you will be needing them for a long time to come.  

All Items in One Place

Integrating technology into clothing is a growing trend and one that just a few years ago might have looked silly is now becoming a necessity. The smart jacket has undergone some redesigns over the past few years and well-established fashion brand Levi’s has teamed up with Google to introduce fashionable clothing that can integrate with modern technology.

The Jacquard range of jackets from Levi’s includes such technology as gesture-based photography, built-in GPS with voice directions, and taking calls and messages without even having to pick up your phone. As well as being completely functional, being designed by Levi’s they are super-stylish denim wear that looks great as a part of any ensemble with different designs for men and women.

Other wearable tech jackets include such things as built-in charging docks for your phone, headphones for listening to music, and adapted pockets that fit items like RFID travel cards so you never need to take them out. The great thing about current smart jacket designs however is that you would never know that they were filled with tech since they have been designed to look just like any other jacket, blazer, or overcoat.

Keep on Keeping On

Having been a feature of science fiction for so long, exoskeleton suits are now a reality. A mechanical bodysuit that you can wear in order to lift heavy objects, run faster, or even allow disabled people to walk is no longer resigned to the realm of fantasy. Mechanical exoskeletons were made famous in the Alien series of movies but have since been found in many pop culture items such as other movies and video games.

The most realistic portrayal of a mechanical exoskeleton is in the video game Death Stranding in which your character played The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus can own and operate an exoskeleton to help him carry heavy objects. An exoskeleton of almost identical design has recently been used to help a disabled man walk again and he went on to walk the London Marathon in 2018.

As technical as these suits might be, they also look extremely cool and as the technology improves and prices come down, there is no reason why we might not see exosuits out and about as people go about their daily business. Imagine being able to run three times as fast as normal in your own customized exoskeleton, or jump from one floor to another as you survey a building site.