Symbolism Evident In Other Peoples Clothes example essay topic

ASC 101 - Introduction to Sociology A 4. Clothes have always been used for symbolic reasons, but is the symbolism always clear? Ever since their invention many centuries ago, clothes have been used as a way of communicating. The message communicated relies on a number of factors including the social background of both the communicator and the receiver, and the context in which the message is communicated.

Although at times the exact message or symbolism one is trying to portray may not be clear, it is evident that clothing has long been embraced as one of the best ways to project one's desired personal image to those around them. For many centuries clothing was used namely as a form of symbolizing one's ascribed class and social honour. A good example of this was evident in Feudal European times when sumptuary laws were created in order to regulate and specify the clothing that could be worn by certain classes. In 1463 Edward IV went so far as to ' [declare] that purple silk was to be the prerogative of the aristocracy' (Finkelstein 1991, pg. 137). As purple dye and silk were both very expensive and sought after this declaration demonstrated quite simply that those who were in possession of such materials should command respect and were of high social standing. Eventually these laws were abolished as, instead of 'confining people to their designated rank, the laws provoked an intense interest in fashion and a desire to transgress the codes, both in the process of prestigious emulation and as an act of rebellion' (Craik, 1994, pg. 205).

This abolition allowed groups and individuals to establish their own chosen style or 'marker' in order to indicate their place within society. By allowing such freedom, ascribed social status gave way to that which was achieved. This not only meant that many more people were able to engage in the ever-expanding culture of 'Haute couture' but also that honour was no longer perceived as a birth right but rather as something that could to be obtained. Such a shift in symbolism provided a way for those of not so noble a birth to portray themselves as the latter through a variety of means such as renting or stealing clothes and buying counterfeit copies (a common occurrence in today's society also).

In the late 18th century the Industrial Revolution occurred causing a huge shift in the ways in which clothing was produced and subsequently altering the ways in which clothing was perceived. For decades preceding industrialisation men and women of high social standing, whether it be ascribed and achieved, were seen as honourable individuals who should not have to engage themselves in labour of any sort. The way in which this honour was portrayed to the outside world involved elaborate and restrictive corsetry and bulky skirts for the women and patent shoes, gloves, top hats and suits for the men. Such clothing, especially that worn by women, was completely impractical for engaging in any form of physical labour. As a quote taken from Thorstein Veblen's 'The Theory of the Leisure Class' eloquently states, the general consensus of this era was that '... apparel is always in evidence and affords an indication of our pecuniary standing to all observers at first glance... dress, therefore, in order to serve its purpose effectively should not only be expensive, but it should also make plain to all observers that the wearer is not engaged in any kind of productive labour... ' (web). With the birth of industrialisation mass production became possible bringing fashion to the masses.

Whilst such an innovation allowed for a cycle of innovation and change and provided a vehicle for the lower classes to dabble in reproductions of upper class fashions, there were still differences evident within the products, which ensured distinctions between classes could be made. Such symbolism included obvious differences in fabric and even sometimes, sewing quality. Other symbols that were highly prevalent in the late 18th century included ribbons and the number of buttons a man wore fastened on his coat or shirt. Both of these simple details, although minuscule were used to signify occupation and respectability within the community. By the late 20th and early 21st century fragmentation became evident between the social class categories.

Much of this shift from production and saving to consumption and spending was due to people's desire for innovation. No longer did people see the need for clothing fashion to originate from the 'top's o therefore it became an avenue for expression for many individuals. One such individual, Alexander McQueen, uses his extraordinary talent to create fashion that has a social conscience and questions the world, people and conventions that surround him. An example of such social criticism was demonstrated in his 'Highland Rape' collection in which 'McQueen sent his models down the catwalk in ripped lace dresses and skirts with what appeared to be tampon strings attached' (web a. html).

To many this was seen as a crude act of misogyny and defiance of fashion conventions but according to McQueen "Highland Rape was about the 'rape' of Scotland by the British", 'a subject that had a personal resonance as his family is of Scottish descent' (web a. html). It is evident that modern day clothing still demonstrates much about the wearer although there has been a huge shift from dressing for utility to leisure wear. It is said that this shift is due to the 'restructuring of consumer societies, and an increase in non-work modes of existence' (Craik, Fashioning work and play, pg. 217). Whilst it may be noted that there are no longer strict rules as to what an individual may and may not wear, there are still social norms and expectations that govern the way we dress. A great example of such expectations is evident in the youth subculture of today where many distinctive groups exist with their own signature style of dress. Much of what moulds the styles of these groups is evident in their surroundings such as the surf culture on the coast or the trend conscious streets of the metro.

When travelling to Torquay one will notice the majority of youths wearing singlets, shorts, skirts and thongs emblazoned with representations of beach life. All this communicates quite effectively not only the prevalence of hot weather but also the towns's url culture and laid back attitudes. In areas such as inner city Melbourne the culture is of complete contrast to the latter. Style and fashion reign supreme on the streets and it is all about making 'quick and favourable impressions' (Bell, Fashion: You are what you wear). The most common impression of Melbourne's city is one of urbane ness and desire to succeed. Much of this impression comes from the realisation that most of those people walking the streets are young and aspiring to greatness.

One obvious way in which they portray these aspirations for wealth, power and street credibility is by wearing expensive and highly fashionable clothes. This 'ability to decode trends that are not deliberate and obvious is limited to a small group who adopt consumer items early' (web semiotics. htm). These people are more often than not the fashion elite who communicate with and decode others via that language of clothes. Semiotics, often referred to as the language of clothes, is the study of signs and symbols. Founded by American philosopher Charles Peirce and a Swiss linguist, Ferdinand de Saussure, it 'provides us with a method by which we can understand the relationship between text and meaning' (Bell, Fashion: You are what you wear). As previously mentioned, semiotics involves the studying of a text which is considered to be anything that 'conveys a message or communicates a meaning' (Bell, Fashion: You are what you wear) so in this case, clothes.

The way in which we communicate and interpret these messages is by way of code, which Fiske defines as: 'a system of meaning common to the members of a culture or subculture. It consists both of signs... and of rules or conventions that determine how and in what context these signs are used... ' (Fiske, 1900, pg. 19). The communicating of a message involves 'two independent moments, one when it is encoded, and another when it is decoded'. 'Encoding refers to the process of producing a message, while decoding refers to the act of interpreting the message and producing a meaning' (Bell, Fashion: You are what you wear). Interestingly though, it is impossible for a text to pre-empty the way it will be decoded for example the backgrounds of both the encoder and decoder may differ greatly leading to an 'aberrant decoding' (Eco 1980).

In the case of uniforms however, the likelihood of an aberrant decoding is substantially lowered as most uniforms have meanings that are known universally. Work clothes also generally communicate a common message and that is an ' [emphasis on] practicality, discipline and professional competence' (Craik, Fashioning work and play, pg. 213) and whilst some protective work-clothes exist most 'function either as a badge of professional status or as an emblem of service' (Steele 1989 c: 67) Unlike uniforms, the way we dress of our own accord involves a number of subconscious decisions. Initially we must decide what to wear (or buy) and following this is the decision of 'how to combine these items together to produce our overall appearance on any day'. 'Semiologist's use the term paradigm to describe the range of items and to describe the way these are put together according to certain rules' (Barrat, Semiology and codes, pg. 110). In order to fully comprehend the meaning of a text, 'semiotics commences with a focus on each individual sign. A sign has two components, the signifier and the signified.

The signifier is a tangible things such as an image, a sound or a written word, and the signified is the mental picture that this thing conjures up in the mind' (Bell, Fashion: You are what you wear). Over time the particular meaning associated with a sign may change suggesting that in a semiotic sense, the text is 'open' to our interpretation. The opposite of an open text is quite obviously, a 'closed' text where there is no room for interpretation as the meaning is clear. Many people are more comfortable with closed texts as 'they reassure and comfort us through what we already know' (Barrat, Semiology and codes, pg. 115).

As demonstrated in the methods previously explained, how we interpret the symbolism evident in other peoples' clothes is purely individual and subject to contextual influences and past experiences. Therefore it is almost impossible to pre-empty the ways in which others will perceive you. Over time ideas will change and therefore alter the ways in which we look back on past clothing choices. Whilst symbolism in fashion may no longer be subject to laws as it was in the 14th century or defined by strict social rules in the 17th century, the clothes we wear are still today subject to imposed social ideals. Apart from distinguishing one status group from another, a style of dress may also aid group cohesiveness, provide the individual with an identity and a feeling of belonging, and communicate the wearer's attitudes and interests. The ways in which we interpret others and present ourselves for interpretation is the only true way that we can be individual.

Symbolism in clothing may not seem as obvious or important nowadays as it was in times of extreme social bigotry, but it is still highly prevalent and has remained one of the most effective ways to project our desired image to those around us. 'The state of a person's clothes is synonymous with self respect and is a sign of responsibility' ( . Pemberley. com / jane info/7. html) Word count: 1,921.