4 ms·
He makes it clear throughout the article that he knows nothing about fashion, and even admits in the first paragraph that he has no interest in clothing or fash
by decode 17y ago
He makes it clear throughout the article that he knows nothing about fashion, and even admits in the first paragraph that he has no interest in clothing or fashion:
"I want simple, good-looking apparel that covers my nakedness and maybe even makes me look attractive."
Here's a partial list of reasons people wear what they do, which the author misses (though some are mentioned in the comments):
- To enhance one's body (appear more attractive, muscular, thin, etc)
- To indicate a lack of concern for fashion.
- Peer pressure to conform to what others are wearing.
- Self expression of any number of things.
- Aesthetic taste.
- A sense of moral obligation (modesty, patriotism, etc).
- Entertainment.
- Marketing.
- Safety.
It's interesting that the author fixates on the motivation of status signaling above all others.
- billswift 17y agoMost of your list either use fashion for status signaling or are alternate means of status signaling. Specifically, the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th; and the 3rd, 7th, and 9th can though not always. I think Robin tends to overemphasize signaling in various issues, but not this time.
- decode 17y agoMaybe I'm not thinking about it in the right way, but I don't see how most of those things signal status (and some don't signal anything at all). Or perhaps I was just too terse in my list. Here are examples of what people might be thinking with some of them: - To enhance one's body (appear more attractive, muscular, thin, etc): being thin is inherently better than not, so I want to appear more thin. - Self expression of any number of things: it's important to me that people not kill animals, so I'll be conspicuous in the ways I don't wear leather. - Aesthetic taste: I prefer the look of the color red, so I'll wear it for my own pleasure. - Entertainment: keeping up with fashion is stimulating to me, so I'll do it for fun. Could you expound on why you think these things signal status in some way?
- hughprime 17y agoMany of these are, I think, signaling of things other than status -- e.g. membership of a group. I also think this thread is missing the point slightly: status signaling doesn't explain every clothing decision ever made by anybody, but it does explain why fashions change the way they do.
- billswift 17y agoI'm not much into reading about signaling and similar issues, but from what Robin has written, especially over the last few months, I think most signaling, eg group membership, involves status signaling among its other issues.
- unalone 17y ago"I want simple, good-looking apparel that covers my nakedness and maybe even makes me look attractive." That's like saying "I want to read a simple, good-looking book that entertains me and even makes me look intelligent." You can't be that simplistic without appealing to the lowest common denominator. Past a certain point, you've got to make an effort or else it doesn't really matter to you.
- brianliu 17y agoOne a larger scale, fashion is a reflection of the current cultural mentality - its a physical representation of reactions to current events, trends and ideas. In a very real way, it is a socially-conscious art that you can wear. Fashion forecasters look analyze things around them: "Green" inspires the color, current wars inspire military elements in clothing, and more currently, the recession inspires deconstructed black pieces. There is a stigma which casts Fashion as vapid and illogical, but a serious look at avante-garde and haute-couture designers will show the opposite. Designs are highly intellectual and innovative, encompassing all variations of form and function, and the interactions between elements. Very commonly, a single stitch or element is given as much deliberation as a core feature in a programming language or a chip in a circuit due the angles which it must be analyzed.