When asked if ‘clothes make the person’, I had to stop and think a moment. This question runs deeper at second glance, and it allowed me an opportunity to consider why we take fashion and trends into such great account. I believe that clothes do, to some extent, make the person. Take for example, a business person. They would never, ever be taken seriously or be able to achieve any sort of success in the business world of today if they did not dress as per the norm. If they came to meetings with clients and co-workers in jeans and a t-shirt, they become less than expected; a professional. In today’s society, who people are is defined by how they present themselves. This may be shallow, or unfair, but it is the truth of America today. If you see a person walking down the street wearing worn out, dirty clothes, you aren’t going to assume they’re a successful investor or anything of that nature. No, in fact, you’re going to assume they’re a homeless bum who needs to find a job and probably take a shower. Your outer appearance is the true first impression. I believe the best example of this can be seen in high schools. The trends of today- goth, preppy, jock, emo, skater, nerd, what have you - are all perpetuated by young teenagers. Those trends are usually what bring people together as friends. It’s not a very common occurance to see the typical pale, black full-length skirt clad, corset wearing girl talking to the jocks in their American Eagle and Hollister apparel. You don’t usually notice a group of baggy-clothes wearing hood gangster wannabe’s just hanging around with the chess club. It just doesn’t happen that way. Also, the styles people assume in high school seems to be the tell-all for their personality. If they’re one of those kids with the tight skinny jeans and swoopy haircut, they’re a tortured soul that needs to suck it up or face the ‘realities of the world’. If they’re one of the aforementioned jocks, they’re probably stupid, but remarkably good at whatever sport they’ve chosen to pursue. Once you assume a manner of dress, you assume that role that society gives you.
A classmate mentioned that if we were all naked, we’d still be people. I wish I could agree with that statement, but once really thought about, you, as well as I, realize that we’d find another way to distinguish and define ourselves through generalized assumptions, because it appears that at base level, all humans want is a niche to fit into, and are willing to be generalized if that means they’ll be able to identify with like-minded individuals.
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