Is Gin a Stylish Treat or a Fashion Trend?

Do you like gin? It’s Wednesday and it’s time to wind down as the weekend is near. A glass of G&T is the perfect midweek treat! Well, at least for those that like it.

Whether you are a gin connoisseur, or you think it tastes like poison – it is clear, that a glass of G&T is the most fashionable drink you can order these days. Just take a look at the gin selection next time you are out and see how many varieties you can find!

I recently went to one of the popular places here in #southsea and when I ordered my last glass of G&T for the evening, I found that they had ran out of fruit to decorate it with. The girl at the bar was very apologetic about the fact I was missing out on a slice of orange. I told her I didn’t mind at all and she told me ‘But it looks sooo boring!’ So - she put a stripy paper straw in the glass before I could react.

I used to enjoy a refreshing glass of G&T when I was 19 and at the time, the only option was the house gin (whatever that would have meant). I would then be usually teased by friends about my age because at the time it seemed that gin was mostly favoured by people that were at a more advanced age than me. I never quite understood this because a glass of G&T – in my opinion – is a rather refreshing treat no matter how old you are.

I guess I was ahead of the times!

But let’s get back to choice. The last time I went to a pub I lost count when I tried to figure out how many types of gin they had. After 21 bottles counted - I got bored. In a weird way I think gin has gone through a change in the past few years like fashion has gone through change in past few decades. There was the reliable refreshing gin you kept going for. You knew what to expect and you enjoyed it. You wore an outfit that you really liked and kept using again and again. It was lovely and stylish and reliable.

I recently put a blog post on the Paradox of Choice – in fashion context. And just like the countless types of gin you can now find everywhere – fashion choice and trends have become very much something we take for granted. There are many styles and more coming out each week. You just don’t go back to that reliable outfit you loved because there is much more to choose from. But do you enjoy the vast choice or do you - like myself- get bored with all this variety?

Much has changed. I am no longer subjected to questions about my age when ordering a glass of G&T. This can of course be because I am no longer 19. But something tells me that attitudes towards drinking gin have changed a lot more than I have. There are so many beautiful examples of gin cocktails on social media just as there are millions of trendy photos showcasing ‘Outfit of the Day’.

Is it now all about the image? Is it here to stay or is it just a passing trend?

I guess we wouldn’t want to be ‘sooo boring’!