Through this 7 day inspection of my own personal dress practice, I’ve come to realize the various ways in which my style and dress is influenced and determined. As I analyzed my outfits from day to day, whether I was wearing plain black jeans or ridiculous pizza socks, I’ve come to fully understand and embody Kaiser’s idea that “studying fashion is a both/and rather than an either/or activity” (Kaiser 2012, 2). Before beginning this inquiry, I had very low expectations, as my style is not the most “interesting”. I had assumed that, because my closet is practically full of basic tees and jeans, that the the results, too, would be mundane. Rather, I’ve come to realize that I am articulating a multitude of messages even in my most basic outfits. Re-reading my dress log, there were a couple of recurring themes throughout the week: agenda, weather, comfort, and practicality. How I chose my outfits revolved around my schedule, the weather, and how comfortable and how practical my outfit really would be. Suddenly, the choices I made when dressing made sense! I was constantly finding a safe ground between these proximities… to be warm, and cool, to be comfortable, and put together, to be a student, but also taken seriously. As a full time student, it only made sense that my outfits revolved around my agenda, comfort, and practicality. For example, I wore sneakers almost every day, as they were comfortable and practical to walk around in. I took into consideration questions such as: how much I will be walking, what kind of work I will be doing, and how practical my outfit would be for such tasks. Still, however, I also wanted to seem somewhat put together, taken seriously, and not sloppy. I’ve come to realize that I am constantly finding a juggle dressing as a student. That my outfits are soft assembles of both/ands, and not either/ors.
Kaiser, Susan B. Fashion and cultural studies. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015.
