You're Making a Statement

A friend and I had just returned from a lecture on gender issues when we dived into discussion of gender roles in society.  Conversation then turned to how our clothing choices reveal views concerning gender issues and our own selves.  She asked me a question I would like to ask all of you:  "What do you intend to communicate through your clothing?"

This question thrilled my soul.  Never until that very moment had I realized so clearly why I chose the clothes I did.  Hats and skirts and contacts and cute heels--all of these and more had their individual explanations.  Overall, it must have sounded something like this, "I want to communicate love and femininity and respect for men and a challenge to the status quo and modesty--not that illusive line that a skirt apparently must meet to be acceptable, but the quality of an humble heart--and conviction and godliness."  That is a tall order, I realize.

Photo credit: Chelsea Miller

In describing what I wanted to communicate through clothing, I defined not merely how I wanted to appear but also who I want to be.  You see, clothing can be used as a tool of manipulation to curry the favor of the masses or develop a particular image in order to gain friends or influence.  But clothing can be so much more than that!  It reveals who we are and how we think of ourselves.  It shows the fashion icons whom we emulate and which cliques we think are cool.  Nearly everyone can remember a time during their teenage years (or later) when they attempted to fit in by dressing to fit a particular code or when they struggled to find their own personal styles while browsing all of the bewildering variety of clothing options on the market today.  I know I have definitely done both of these things.  But we must make choices regarding the clothing we wear, and we must accept that those choices will affect how other people see us and sometimes even what their reactions toward us will be.

Even when we are not intentionally communicating through our fashion choices, we tell the world a great deal about ourselves through what we wear and how we wear it.  Do you notice shirt collars?  I do.  After being in a room with one hundred people for an hour, it is unlikely that I could tell you the color of a particular individual's shirt.  But I could tell you the precise state of his shirt collar and probably give you some analysis on whether the state of his collar seemed consistent with his overall attitude.  Little details are important in these sort of analyses.

Our clothing is our first introduction--before the handshake, even before names are exchanged usually.  Clothing tells our story, and we need to make sure that story is told accurately.  What do you want your clothing to say?