Form follows function?

I saw a pair of COMME DES GARCONS boots on www.yoox.com with a price tag of $129. The boots looked uber cool and the last pair was just my size. I ordered it right away after my friend Faust told me that it was a "collectors' item".

The bad news is that they don't fit. To be accurate, the leather and the "decorations" are so stiff that I can't walk in them in my natural way and the top of the toe box hurts me every time I bend my feet. No matter how cool the boots are, I will not be able to wear them and show people the look. I am sure that there are other customers who purchased the boots and wore them, but I can't help wondering if and how they could wear the boots without suffering and if the "form follows function" rule ever applies to fashion.

A good example of the "form follows function" is my Burberry trench coat. From the belt to the protected pockets, every single detail is designed to prevent water from leaking in. I was caught in a thunder storm on a summer day a couple of months ago and I managed to keep my entire outfit dry, thanks to my Burberry trench coat.

Another good example is the crooked heel design shown on some of the designer shoes. I tried a pair of Louis Vuitton heels on the other day and they are extremely comfortable despite the 3.5" heel. Why? The crooked heels indeed support my heel from a perpendicular direction which is the most efficient angle from a physics perspective.

Don't make any conclusions yet. As I received a Jean Paul Gaultier cardigan from my beloved www.yoox.com today, I found that I need to think about that rule a little more. I ordered that cardigan because it looks different. I couldn't tell exactly what it was from the pictures online, but I decided to give it a try because the shipping was free. It came in, and I was in shock.

It is in fact a plain gray cardigan attached with a plain gray short-sleeve crewneck back to back. Yes, I can wear either side yet I have to wear both sweaters together no matter which side I choose. It's an interesting concept, and it is very architectural. The form doesn't really follow the function, but I am going to keep it because I will wear it. I like how Jean Paul Gaultier played with a simple but naughty idea. Therefore, when it comes to fashion, form doesn't have to follow function. However, if the definition of function is simply "wearability", then the rule still applies. In my case, the Jean Paul Gaultier cardigan stays and the COMME DES GARÇONS boots have to go.