THE CLOTHES AN INDIVIDUAL WEARS MAKES THEM
The clothes an individual wears makes them. The choice of one’s apparel influences how they are perceived, from their character to their tastes. A person’s inherent mood is also correlated to the kind of attire they choose to wear, and if an individual’s choice of clothing matches the occasion a lot will be achieved by doing much less. Clothing and apparel are mostly classified according to gender, and the distinction between men’s and women’s clothing is profoundly distinct and the overlap between the two is negligible. The other major classification of clothing is based on the occasion, and most kinds of clothing are designed to be worn on particular occasions, the major subclasses in this category being indoor/ outdoor and formal/informal. Clothing plays a central role in our lives, and studying the subject enhances our recognition of social cues as influenced by the clothing we and the other people wear. Studying the various modes of dressing also increases our chances of living a more befitting life as our sense of fashion is likely to be heightened. The ability of an individual to wear clothes that strongly match their environment, mood and countenance is a revered disposition and this paper will aim at exploring the role of fashion in the history of human beings, and its impact on our day to day lives.
The primary utility of clothing is to cover our bodies for safety purposes such as from unfavorable weather and to conceal our private parts. Fashion has as well taken these factors into consideration in its design of the fabric. The inadvertent result of every individual residing in the various parts of the world to cover themselves up has contributed to the varying degrees of the vast repertoire of clothing that we see around. Some people are keener on the ever-evolving modes of dressing, while some are less adamant about such trends. As such, clothing has been an important indicator of an individual’s social class. Fashion-conscious people tend to be more dynamic with their clothing and tend to wear clothing according to the occasion. Highly influential people offer a constant market to fashion designers, who professionally appraise various situations, then afterward recommending the most appropriate outfit for them.
The choice of an outfit by a person influences, and is likely to be determined by the social standing of such a person. Most careers whose workers are uninformed are basically influenced by this principle. Nurses, doctors, and surgeons may work under the same premises but their outfit varies partly as an indicator of ranks. Such a scenario is also replicated in airports where pilots and the hostesses can be identified by different outfits. In most schools, students with a seniority rank such as prefects tend to be differentiated from other students mostly by the manner of their dressing. The reactions of people in a setting such as that of a school are influenced by the type of student they are interacting with, and the senior students tend to be more respected and obeyed compared to their student counterparts who are dressed in regular uniforms. The often non-conscious cues inadvertently influence the manners that individuals perceived to be of superior ranking behave, making their behavior more dominant compared to their counterparts.
Accessories
Another manner in which outfit one wears enhances their personality is by using accessories. Items such as bracelets, necklaces, braces, badges, ties, and spectacles are all accessories that have made their way as fashion items accompanying clothing. Accessorizing enhances the personality and the aura that surrounds the person when they are in the midst of a group of people.
Sunglasses and spectacles have evolved to become an important element in today’s dressing an accessorizing. Although initially designed to enhance visibility, and as an object that had to be prescribed by an accredited optician, sunglasses and spectacles now come in many kinds. Most spectacles and sunglasses designs play crucial roles in modern activities, and the impact of such designs in influencing the outcome of various situations cannot be undermined. For instance, the spectacle frame worn by Barry Humphries in her role as Dame Edna in ‘Dame Edna’s Work Experience’, a BBC television show in 1997 greatly influenced her character role. Cognitive psychologists refer to such an example as an attempt to influence the nature of the character to be more befitting of an actor’s role. Besides the sunglasses, the nature of clothing that accompanies such an accessory is also critical to the outcome of the enhancement of an individual’s persona. The phrase ‘clothes make a man’ goes a long way in accounting for situations such as where clothing is designed to influence how an audience perceives an actor on a show.
Scriptwriters tend to be deliberate on the nature of outfit that gets assigned to an actor, clothing being the first thing that an audience interacts with before any word gets uttered by them. Playwrights, scriptwriters, and actors have an intimate consideration of the kind of attire most suited to bring out the potency of every role. Deliberate efforts can be done to make a character more lively, for instance, by equipping them with bright colors, sporty outfit or myriad of other combinations of clothing that promotes such an aura. A well thought of mode of dressing by an individual for either casual, business, or other formal purposes can accurately influence a preferred reaction from an audience.
Outfit has quickly become a way of expressing emotions and clothing has also greatly influenced communication through subliminal communication. Various cultures throughout history have exemplified the power of the choice of dressing for an occasion. For instance, both men and women possess a wide variety of choices of clothes for various occasions ranging from dinner dates, work and business meetings, sports, and social events. The nature of one’s choice of clothing determines the outcome of the activity they are getting engaged in. An individual looking forward to meeting a client has his choice of apparel narrowed down to a few options if they are to expect the most optimum result from the meeting. Such an individual is likely to have an uneventful meeting if the choice of clothing is casual or sportswear. Conversely, an athlete is limited by any other outfit other than the particular footwear and clothing designed for his sport.
Everybody has dressing expectations for every occasion. Transgressing those expectations in a manner that undermines the situation comes at a cost especially in the modern age where events are perfectly identified, alongside their accompanying codes of behavior and conduct. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibits apparel that dates from several centuries ago up to recent days. As you scroll through the site one is able to identify the variations in the manner that clothing influences culture and the mannerism of the populace as well. What was once set aside for the affluent and famous has gradually evolved to be the normal way of life. The art museum illustrates the dynamic nature of clothing and how apparel can be used strategically to improve people’s lives and foster social behavior as well. One can also easily conclude how proper and mindful dressing is the prerogative to achieving success in the various domains of life.
Conclusion
Our mode of dressing directly imparts our behavior and the manner people perceive us. As such, understanding the intricacies of fashion can enable an individual to enjoy upward social mobility and other benefits obtained from having knowledge of social systems. The need to adhere to dress codes in the modern world bears an important tag, which dictates the activities a person can or cannot engage in. Proper clothing alone can determine the outcome of activities such as business and work interviews. Athletes who are keen on their mode of dressing tend to have an edge over their counterparts who could have neglected the essence of proper clothing. For instance, silk clothing is more suitable for most kinds of physical intensive exercises in which a person is likely to sweat when engaging in it.
Besides influencing how other people react to the sort of clothing we wear when one is clad in an outfit that is suited for a particular situation, one is more likely to take charge and their confidence enhanced unlike if the opposite had happened. The role of apparel has further reaching implications beyond how it makes us or other people feel by influencing the range of activities in a certain area. For instance, wearing decent clothing when performing religious practices is a norm, and such dressing practices make it possible for people to identify with a belief system. Also, it is unusual that people will dress in orange or striped overcoats which are usually identified with prisoners. Clothing is an integral part of society and the robustness of its uses makes it a subject with a wide range of implications. The history of dressing indicates the ability of humans to extend their personalities, messages, and ideas through objects beyond their physical bodies. The phrase ‘clothes make a man’ is legitimately backed by the numerous situations in our daily activities that require us to dress differently. Most activities are restricted to a selected group of participants, mostly based on commonalities among the members. Such trends have existed for as long as humanity has, and time has only made it possible to discover the nuances hidden in the apparel we choose to put on.