Form vs. Function

I made a garrison cap last night.  Why, do you ask?  I really had no specific plan for its use.  I've always liked them, even have one leftover from my military days.  I made the new one out of leftover fabric from a vintage military greatcoat.  Heavy gray/green wool, very cold-war.

It brings me to the topic of form versus function.  Form being the appearance and style of a thing and function being the use and operation of the same thing.

In this case, the form of the garrison cap worked well.  I managed to get some good seams and a bit of piping on the border and the whole thing looked like a piece of military surplus from some long-forgotten Northern European naval unit.

Function, however, is another story.  I guesstimated a bit on the size and got it wrong.  A garrison cap is not supposed to fit loosely and come down over the tips of the ears.  If it doesn't fit like it is supposed to then it will not serve its function as a hat.  Simple.

I dislike when the balance of form and function is off.  Too much of one or the other is a bad thing.  Cases in point:
High fashion super-model runway shows where stick thin women are parading around in car parts and peacock feathers.  Never will you see that outfit in your local supermarket or on a bus.  Nobody ever actually decides to wear those outfits because of how flattering they are.  They are all form and no function.
On the flip-side there are the mechanics jumpsuits.  Pure function of covering your regular clothing away from the dirt and oil surrounding you.  If absolutely nobody cared about fashion, these garments could completely replace every bit of clothing we own.  Pure function and no form.