In class we are assigned a reading, and we read and annotate it for homework and post the response and pictures of the annotation here.
William James writes “We so appropriate our clothes and identify ourselves with them that there are few of us who, if asked to choose between having a beautiful body class in raiment perpetually shabby and unclean, and having an ugly and blemished form always spotlessly attired, would not hesitate a moment before making a decisive reply.”¹ In short, he is saying some people would choose to dress well and have an ugly body rather than having a beautiful body and dressing ‘shabby like’. Even though this may be outdated, today in art school this is an extremely relevant concept. The different uses of colors, accessories, shoes, hair colors and piercings seems to be self-defining. While I am sure that most of the bodies in Parsons aren’t ugly and blemished, the students here really choose to identify with their clothing, and identify themselves with their clothing. William James also writes “We so appropriate with our clothes and identity ourselves with them..”.¹ The different looks of everyone here really differentiates and highlights similarities, (i.e. if two people have green hair they look more similar than I would to one of them, with brown hair) and its very possible that these differences tells everyone else a little bit about themselves. People really feel like they are telling their story, showing their likes, their dislikes and their interests through their wardrobe. If everyone dressed the same their would be a lack of ability to feel like an individual. Looking different may make one feel like an individual but it plays with the idea that the body is more important, when really the inside is what matters. I believe that dressing one way does not make you an individual, other than simply looking different then everyone else, unless of course the looks one identifies with pushes them to act a certain way (i.e. someone who dresses in all black may start to feel and identify with goths). There is a strong theme in my culture that the outside is a reflection of the inside. One can take this as it is our clothing that reflects whats on our inside, but I believe the word ‘outside’ is in place of the word ‘actions’. Its actions, words and values that separate individuals. Although this concept is relevant today, I don’t really think it is as applicable as it could’ve been back in 1890, when not everyone tried to look so ‘different’.
FOOTNOTES:
- James, William. The Principles of Psychology. New York: Henry Holt, 1890, Vol. I, pp. 292-293
