Do You Think Clothes Help Define Who You Are To the World?

[BeeNee]

I think there is a reason we find it so incredibly shocking when that super casual friend we have, who lives his or her life in shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, and jeans, suddenly turns up in a full on suit or starts wearing like Western gear as their everyday go to. Clothes aren't just things we cover our bodies with for modesty sake, I think they do help define who it is we are to the world.

When someone has a style or a manner of dress, we come to know and associate them with that style. If someone is on the casual side, we tend to associate their personalities with someone who we perceive to be more relaxed and go as you are vs. say those people who are always buttoned up and every hair in place. We may view them as more controlling or conservative, or perhaps even unable to be that chill guy or girl that can just relax. Often that analysis is spot on.

How much it defines us is evidenced by someone actually making a dramatic change to their style. Friends and family who know them, wonder what's happening and why rather then just see the clothing and/or hair changes as just something else they are wearing. People use a change of style or fashion to make a statement, that "this is who I am now," and everyone needs to accept that. If people can't or won't because people don't really believe in the change, the person may fold to peer pressure and/or go back to the way people had come to know and associate them with their style because that really was the real person they want others to see.

There are whole entire companies, aka, style or image consultant firms, structured around helping people tell the world who they are or want to be through their style. People use these firms to help themselves in business, entertainment, in the dating world, or just for help in upgrading their vision of how they see themselves and want to project that to others.

We can't be so dismissive as to say, clothes have no meaning and don't affect the way people see us, because they very much do. We cannot see someone's personality walking down the street or into a room, but we can see their clothes, and often it can be the first and last impression we have of them, so make it a good one, and one that is true to the person you believe yourself to be.

[oOsecret_starlandsOo]

Yes, its a creative way to showcase your personality.

With anything creative, it actually is its own skill, like drawing or playing an instrument.

Some people are skilled in encapsulating their personality in style, most are okay enough to put decent concepts together, others totally lack at this skill and stick with a basic set.

My personality is very colorful but dramatic, my defining style is gothic - chic which merges the drama of gothicism, with the chic sophistication of brightly colored professional fashion.

But Im also extremely artistic, so putting together an edgy outfit is like painting one for a portrait character XD

Great myTake! I wish more people would fashionize to bring out more confidence and uniqueness to themselves!

[taleswapper]

Not define, but display. For example, the Before Guy looks casual. I'd pick him for retail, or perhaps a technician. the After guy is dressed to look like a man of substance. It's the same guy; but he presents in two different ways, based on clothes. I'm not so shallow as to think an executive can't look like Before, or a mechanic like After, but it's not the way to bet.

[LittleSally]

Yes... I mean how else could someone judge a person at that first second of seeing them if not based on their looks... and clothing comes into that equation.
It is what it is... A person has to think about their external appearance and what they're projecting to the world and what message they're sending.
This is why I am so against wearing workout clothing anywhere other than for actually working out - and not to mention wearing pajamas outside. That's a sign you've actually given up on life.

[PrincessPie]

Yes, i think you can tell quite abit about someones personality from there fashion sense.

[EpicDweeb]

Clothed communicate something. ( I know I'll get flak for this) a low cut top communicates that you want people looking at your cleavage. A well tailored suit communicates being a person of class. A flatbill cap with a tank top and chains makes a guy look like a fuk boi. People with certain traits tend to wear certain things. This is common enough that we almost always associate certain clothing choices with those character types. As much as we might not like it or want to change that because we prefer wearing a style with negative associations, it doesn't matter. Those associations are still there and they are what you WILL communicate. It doesn't matter if people "shouldn't" because they do. It's not something that they will stop doing.

This just kind of makes me think of what I've heard seveal girls say about how they should be able to dress how they want without guys staring at them. I'm sorry, it doesn't matter that guys shouldn't, the fact is they do and if you want them to stop you have to stop dressing in a way thato COMMUNICATES that you WANT to be looked at.

I'm not saying this to justify the assholes who catcall women. Simply that there are girls who need to wake up to this fact. They aren't simply going to change society by walking around in low cut, mid-rif revealing tank tops and bootyshorts. They are going to have guys staring. Sorry for rambling, I realize this is off topic but Ijust found it interesting. Either way great mytake

[najekim]

I prescribe to a different world to where clothes are masks to hide who you really are. People will dress to make impressions of who they are not. People can believe the masks they wear will get them through life but it actually re-enforces the lie of who they are not. People use clothes to portray status they most likely do not have. Some use clothes to hide status they do have. Shedding of clothes reveals who people actually are. You can not tell a welder from a banker, a teacher from a pastor, a rich person from a poor one. All are equal when the masks are removed completely. So to answsr the question, clothes define what lie you want the world to see.

[BeeNee]

Imagine I take a completely uneducated homeless person, put him/her in a suit, and set them in front of a graduate class and ask them to teach or imagine I take that welder, place him in a suit and send him off to a international corporate party. Who is going to believe the lie of that mask even if the person in the suit does for too long? People can sniff out inauthentic people, which is why I used the example of friends/family not "buying" what the person changing their fashion was selling in some cases. I think the amount of people faking it in the way you mean is far far less than those who authentically wear the cowboy boots, or the suits, or wear all black all day everyday.

[VIVANT]

you are assuming homeless people can not be intelligent or acquire knowledge, this is shallow and false. i also think you give clothes too much credit.

[CindyRuns]

Very much so...

I'm in a male dominated field and the way I dress in a work environment projects the image of what I want people to see in me.

I dress in a way that makes me look like a very competent and capable professional, at the same time, never letting you forget that I'm a woman. My dress code for work is professional and feminine.

[Jmcmanning]

I disagree, clothing is way to express our moods and the situation we will be involved in. I work in the Harley-Davidson division at work, so I wear a lot of Harley-Davidson - but it doesn't define who I am, - rather is shows what department I work in. Any other day you can see me in a casual dress, more dressier dress, skirt, jeans with either boots or flip flops or my favorite style of beachwear.

[Mmmmmmb78]

They can actually.

I like to express myself in terms of dressing up. For example, in the fall and winter I'm pretty aid back and like to keep cozy, so I wear jeans, leather boots, sweaters, flannel, etc. In the warmer months, especially in the summertime, that's when I wear more "revealing clothes" such as bikinis at the beach. I'm not trying to impress anyone or turn heads, just wearing what makes me feel confident.

[alice55]

Clothes mean nothing. I have a lot of style depending on my mood so.
Either I wear really basic clothes or sporty or feminine or "anime" style. It really just depend on my mood and it don't define me.

If someone saw me Monday and someone else saw me Saturday they would surely think I'm a complete different person.

[Kuraj]

I don't think people wear clothes with the deliberate intent to define themselves.
But I do think that your clothing preferences are closely related to your personality, as is the rest of your preferences, really.

Though, one has to keep in mind that what people wear might not necessarily be an accurate reflection of themselves due to factors such as convenience, weather conditions or financial resources.

[SirRexington]

Yeah. We wear certain things that represents our interests, our personalities. A geek wears clothes with reference to comic characters to show that they are interested in comics and such. A fan of music wears a band T-shirt to reveal that they are a fan of said band and probably similar ones.

It helps us to easily identify people with which we may share interests with.

[FatherJack]

Yes , especially if you are in uniformed service , I'm ex British Army , uniform also tells others your role , regiment / corps , status and even achievements , ie rank and qualification badges , such as my hard earned parachute wings

[BeeNee]

They do say a lot, as do most uniforms, but they are also a uniform that you are made to wear whilst you work. I'm more referring to the clothes that you pick yourself, in your case, in your civilian life.

[ArabGirl26]

yes, we usually even if unintentionally make an assumption or form an idea about a person from the way he/she is dressed,, you can tell she is cute, sexy, innocent, experienced, he is bold, cute, kind, player, rich, poor,,, etc

[lilaqua]

I see clothes as an extension of one's creativity and individual thoughts and feelings. In a way (along with makeup) it's kind of art that's intrinsic to human beings.

[CubsterShura]

Well I cover my body yet wear a lot of loud colors and matching jewelry. I wonder what people think of me. I'm a loner.

[vishna]

Oh yea, people perceive you so different based on appearances :) especially if that's all they have to go on

[keenmind2007]

Clothes help to make a statement. It makes people confident and almost to the point of being fearless.

[Gedaria]

Yes clothes are the thing but also how you wear them. Some people could wear the best clothes money can buy but they don't work for them. But for some people mainly women can make an old fat look fantastic !!!

[AMEL2332]

not really they r stuff u put on bc its cold hot u want to feel sexy or u want ur partners attention nothing more

[Kelliecoxs]

Yes for a girl it can be as people have opinions if you wear a certain style etc

[MonaLee]

Of course! That's why we don't put clothes randomly, picking it from the grandmother wardrobe ;)