There is nothing more stressful, more annoying, and more time-wasting than the morning routine of picking out clothing. Each morning, I'll spend anywhere from 5-15 minutes staring blankly at my clothing, trying to decide what to wear. Some people can simply "Just throw on whatever." But for me it's alot more complicated. "What look am I going for, what's the weather like, what friends am I going to see?" all these and more questions swirl my head as I stare. This bodily practice is a "ritual" that all of us go through in the morning (excluding nudists and those who have their clothes picked out for them). Clothes have been a symbol of protection, comfort, functionality, and expression throughout time. An important utility of them is Protection. Clothes protect us from the elements, harm, and embarrassment. They help us overcome our subconscious agoraphobia, giving us the confidence in our own self images and style to be seen in public by fitting to the standards of society's images. (Hence the phrase "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that in public") Many of us, myself definitely included, have became docile bodies to this practice of choosing clothes. Because our society has given clothing such importance, judging people on what they wear and how they look, we have fallen into a practice without terminus, constantly chasing the newest and hottest looks and trends in order to become the "ideal". This ideal image in turn, has affected our self image. We have given them agency. Ironically, we have a choice on what to wear, but with our little agency we possess, the choice has subconsciously been predetermined, affected, or altered by an external regulation, situation, or improvement. We've been caught into a double bind, taught that it is wrong to judge others on how they look because it is shallow, yet we ourselves are taught that society will always judge based on looks, thus dress for success and criticize constantly. Clothing choice, like body size, is a practice we believe gives us agency, allowing us to fit in or stand out. Yet it can turn us into docile bodies, affecting how we think, what we buy, and how we feel. A good look can make your whole day, but after all they're just clothes, aren't they?
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Getting Dressed
There is nothing more stressful, more annoying, and more time-wasting than the morning routine of picking out clothing. Each morning, I'll spend anywhere from 5-15 minutes staring blankly at my clothing, trying to decide what to wear. Some people can simply "Just throw on whatever." But for me it's alot more complicated. "What look am I going for, what's the weather like, what friends am I going to see?" all these and more questions swirl my head as I stare. This bodily practice is a "ritual" that all of us go through in the morning (excluding nudists and those who have their clothes picked out for them). Clothes have been a symbol of protection, comfort, functionality, and expression throughout time. An important utility of them is Protection. Clothes protect us from the elements, harm, and embarrassment. They help us overcome our subconscious agoraphobia, giving us the confidence in our own self images and style to be seen in public by fitting to the standards of society's images. (Hence the phrase "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that in public") Many of us, myself definitely included, have became docile bodies to this practice of choosing clothes. Because our society has given clothing such importance, judging people on what they wear and how they look, we have fallen into a practice without terminus, constantly chasing the newest and hottest looks and trends in order to become the "ideal". This ideal image in turn, has affected our self image. We have given them agency. Ironically, we have a choice on what to wear, but with our little agency we possess, the choice has subconsciously been predetermined, affected, or altered by an external regulation, situation, or improvement. We've been caught into a double bind, taught that it is wrong to judge others on how they look because it is shallow, yet we ourselves are taught that society will always judge based on looks, thus dress for success and criticize constantly. Clothing choice, like body size, is a practice we believe gives us agency, allowing us to fit in or stand out. Yet it can turn us into docile bodies, affecting how we think, what we buy, and how we feel. A good look can make your whole day, but after all they're just clothes, aren't they?
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I think what you had to say was very well written! I can completely relate to what you have said. I actually read this right before I started to pick out what to wear. You had a nice use of our vocabulary words and concepts from class. Your blog post flows. It helped me understand better what we are concentrating on in class. I also like how you are honest and admit that you as well have become a "docile body" to this body practice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that what you wear can make you feel good the whole day. It just gives you natural confidence, even though they are just clothes. We have been given a choice of what to wear, but we have subjected ourselves to participate in the agency that the external world possesses over us. Our clothing will be judged and therefore this will affect our self-image. Society doesn't care about who we are, just what we look like. Pointing out the double bind in this body practice was clever!
Thank you!
Ashley Carmichael
I agree too. Its so weird to notice how you dress one day affects what people notice, acknowledge, or even talk to you as compared to what their reactions might be the next day. On days where I dress nice and do my hair people acknowledge me more than on the days where I decide glasses are more comfortable than contacts and choose sweats over jeans. Obviously, I'm still the same person every day, but just the way you present yourself really changes peoples reactions towards you.
ReplyDelete'excluding nudists'?
ReplyDelete