Your clothing choices make a statement about you.
There is no way around it. If you choose to wear only Banana Republic and Kenneth Cole, you’re making a statement. If you choose to wear ripped jeans and a gray t-shirt every day because “you don’t really care about clothing,” you are, as a result, still sending that very message.
Neutrality can’t exist.
This gets me thinking, are these statements expressions of self, or expressions of status?
The homeless person wearing whatever he can get his hands on is not necessarily actively making a statement, but implicitly, his clothing says “low status.”
The man wearing a suit and tie is implicitly stating his level of status or income. How much is he self-expressing? Perhaps he is wearing the suit for business purposes, a sign of respect/formality for his job. Okay, but then on Saturday he wears a nice polo, $150 jeans, and a fancy watch. He has no business obligation to wear this. Now, is he expressing status, or self? Is he seeking validation? Is he sending a message of self-respect, a sign that he takes care of himself? Or is he covering up his authentic self, his insecurities, seeking approval from others?
Or maybe what really matters is his natural countenance, his demeanor, if he looks you in the eye, his level of comfort in his own skin, his level of authentic self-esteem.
Maybe clothing choice is simply an extension of that.
Thoughts?
