the language of fashion

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Every generation’s sense of style and clothing is determined by factors peculiar to the era, the social percept and the respective roles portrayed by them in the society. It is easy to categorize people into several reference groups on the basis of age group, and the nature of work undertaken by them in society. It will be observed that, an individual’s sense of fashion and clothing conforms more often than not to the slot he attempts to fit himself into. This trend is found most prominently amongst teenagers and also people dressing for work. At the very outset, the significance of clothing must be pointed out. It is and has been always perceived as an expression of the personality of an individual. One’s presentation of himself through the clothes he wears is a well recognized form of non verbal communication as it delivers certain messages about the individual. In fact, the very basis for forming the “first impression” is based heavily on how one presents himself through his sense of dressing. For instance, a person with uncombed hair or sloppy clothes would be assumed to be a slob. Our identity is closely intertwined with how we dress, and society doesn’t hesitate to judge someone on the basis of the same. Fashion and style has always been a source of nonverbal communication where no spoken or written words are used but it delivers silent messages. According to Semiotic theory, visual images and their respective signs can be read in an identical manner to text. Fashion has its own dialect and can be interpreted justification of personality and character. This suggests that your personal style is directly related to aspects of your persona. Everyone has their own distinctive personality personality, set of beliefs and opinions therefore we use our body as a canvas to project your identity. Clothes are used to separate groups in our society, which turns culture into a general signifying system. We communicate

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A short study paper on the Language of Fashion done for a college project. Hopefully an interesting read.

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Page 1: The Language of Fashion

Every generation’s sense of style and clothing is determined by factors peculiar to the era, the social percept and the respective roles portrayed by them in the society. It is easy to categorize people into several reference groups on the basis of age group, and the nature of work undertaken by them in society. It will be observed that, an individual’s sense of fashion and clothing conforms more often than not to the slot he attempts to fit himself into. This trend is found most prominently amongst teenagers and also people dressing for work.

At the very outset, the significance of clothing must be pointed out. It is and has been always perceived as an expression of the personality of an individual. One’s presentation of himself through the clothes he wears is a well recognized form of non verbal communication as it delivers certain messages about the individual. In fact, the very basis for forming the “first impression” is based heavily on how one presents himself through his sense of dressing. For instance, a person with uncombed hair or sloppy clothes would be assumed to be a slob. Our identity is closely intertwined with how we dress, and society doesn’t hesitate to judge someone on the basis of the same.

Fashion and style has always been a source of nonverbal communication where no spoken or written words are used but it delivers silent messages.

According to Semiotic theory, visual images and their respective signs can be read in an identical manner to text. Fashion has its own dialect and can be interpreted justification of personality and character. This suggests that your personal style is directly related to aspects of your persona. Everyone has their own distinctive personality personality, set of beliefs and opinions therefore we use our body as a canvas to project your identity.

Clothes are used to separate groups in our society, which turns culture into a general signifying system. We communicate a society's beliefs, values and experiences through practises, artefacts and institutions. Where, in this case, the practises, artefacts and institutions are fashion and clothing.

According to Douglas and Isherwood (1979) fashion and clothing can be used as fences or bridges. To clarify fences and bridges; fences separates groups and keep people apart while bridges are there to join groups. Fences and Bridges also separate groups at the same time as they identify common values within a group.

GOOD GIRLS VS. BAD GIRLS

God invented clothes. He clothed Adam and Eve after sin entered the Garden of Eden. At first Adam and Eve never had to wear clothes. Nakedness was not shameful and clothing was not necessary. But they immediately recognized the need for covering their bodies after

Page 2: The Language of Fashion

sin entered the picture. It was the first effect of sin–shame and a need to cover up their nakedness.

The good girl and bad girl archetypes are the most basic form of division between women. Both come from, and are defined by distinct characteristics, but what’s ultimately funny. Perhaps a cosmic joke on a grand scale, is that most of the typical “good” women – the women society endorses and supports and holds to an ideal of what a “good” woman should be – are usually the more rotten of the two. The “bad” girls, while being outwardly bad, are generally the ones with the hearts of gold, the wise ones, and the ones you call upon when you truly need help. So this muddies the waters when trying to classify—I personally would call the “good” girls the rotten ones and the “bad” girls the golden ones, but then again, I have my own personal biases here

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Good girls dress dress modestly, with decency and propriety, with braided hair or gold or pearls .

Simplicity defines the good girl. Anything fairly plain and kind of flowing will work great on a good girl.

If she wears black, has smudged eye make up and reveals her skin she is a bad girl. Leather jacket- What kind of bad girl would be caught without a leather jacket? super dark denim or black denim or stocking fit perfectly to a bad girl Someone wearing low-cut fashion necklines that reveal cleavage or the tight pants or short skirts that reveal shape is immediately perceived as a “Bold” personality. Bad Girls want to cut jeans into short shorts. They want to cut a slit in their t-shirts so that their cleavage shows. Bad Girls want to cut holes in their jeans to show a little skin or a trace of their underwear.

Prettly long hair is a sign of feminity. It adds on to a girls beauty. Someone with short pixie hairstly if often considCurly hair always spoke the bad girl language. A straight hair girl is termed the ‘girl next door.’ and one with curls is often termed as ‘sexy’.

The 1950s were an enormously influential decade for American style, and 1950s hairstyles shifted accordingly. The dynamism and simultaneous retreat to more conservative times are both apparent in the era's styles, which veer wildly from rockabilly hair to pixie cuts and primly waved bobs.

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After her iconic turn as Anita in West Side Story, Rita spent a decade turning down roles that tried to pigeonhole her as a sexy spitfire. Her hairstyle for the film, though, still signals bombshell appeal.

Elizabeth Taylor's short style was all about volume. When she stormed onto the screen as Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, her character's modernity was conveyed as much by her hair as by her lines.

Page 5: The Language of Fashion

The ponytail was one of the biggest style innovations of the 1950s, but bobby soxers weren't the only ones wearing the style. It also became popular with more mature women, worn in sophisticated pulled-back styles like the one Billie is shown in here. Till day hair pulled up in a ponytail signifies a matured simplistic person or also the good girl.

The movie characters

CAT WOMAN CLOTHING

CREATED IN 1940 as a love interest for Batman, catwoman plays a villain character. An embittered feminist fighting to survive the chaotic streets of Gotham, this version of catwoman portrays a more dangerous reality for eighties women than most time capsules

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would dare address. Again, the wounded souls of Batman and Catwoman are attracted and ultimately severed by their similarities.

She’s got the black leather outfit that communicates both her dark side as well as feminism required to attract Batman. The tech-heavy speak action streak to serve the character who levels up with all male actions.

CRUELLA DE VIL MAKEUP LOOKS

Page 7: The Language of Fashion

The lady really does love her fur and there's nothing she'd like better than a Dalmatian fur coat.

What could be more cruel than a woman who eats puppies for breakfast or turns their skins into high-fashion furs? Cruella de Vil is one Halloween costume that allows you to be unabashedly sexy, villainous and runway-ready at the same time. De Vil adores furs and dresses in statement colors such as red, black, white and steely grey. Spotted furs are a must.Her blood red or magenta lips , full strips of false lashes in blackest black and a mole, painted on just above the lip or underneath the eye stand out perfect for a cruel character. The hair coloured in dual tone complimented the character.

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For a modern interpretation of Creulla, think Miranda Preistly in The Devil Wears Prada