CLOTHING

Clothing (or dress) of an individual refers to all the body modifications and supplementations including various items such as skin color, hair style, pierced body parts, accessories and the like (Roach-Higgins & Eicher, 1992). How individuals dress may be influenced by and may change in accordance with various factors. Society and culture are the most important factors in determining the way individuals dress. Society may dictate formal or informal ways to dress according to social contexts, such as that the police have to wear a standard uniform during working hours; and that in many cultures brides are expected to wear a white wedding dress in their wedding ceremony. Other factors that are influential in clothing styles include geographical features such as climate, desert or forest; diversity of available raw materials, technological and technical opportunities, religious and moral values, economical conditions, political views, and the idea of aesthetics. Therefore, all the technical, social, political, and economical developments in a society are reflected in the clothing styles of people in that society. 

     Clothing serves various functions for individuals in a society. Most generally, clothes can state individuals’ age, gender, religion, and rank in the society. Moreover, it helps individuals to maintain their social relationships with others. When people dress as others do, they may feel psychological closeness to them and enjoy the idea of being a part of that society and of the culture. Therefore, most people tend to dress according to the culture in which they live. They simply comply with what their cultures necessitate them to wear.        

Furthermore, clothing may indicate the groups which an individual is a member of. For example, when an individual likes punk, s/he dresses as how other punk people dress so that s/he can be recognised by other members of that group and imply that they value the same things. 

     It is also believed by some that clothing provides valuation to individuals who wear high quality clothes. They believe such clothes show the value of the wearers and distinguish them from others. In that sense, it can also be said that clothing may imply superiority or inferiority among individuals in a society. For example, a janitor and a boss can clearly be distinguished by the way they dress. Another function of clothing is that it may send messages about our emotional and psychological state to others, as well as to us. For example, when we are sad or exhausted, we do not try to adorn our outlook and we may look plain. This may indicate to others that something may be wrong with us.  

     Last but not least, clothing also functions for some to attract attention. Many people care what they wear a lot when they are to take part in an event. For example, people try to look outstanding and stunning as much as possible when they attend to a crowded event so that they attract others the most. This, in turn, may help them feel better or boost their self confidence.

Reference

Roach-Higgins, M.E., & Eicher, J. B. (1992). Dress and Identity. Clothing and Textiles                    Research Journal,  10: 1