Relationship Between Clothing and Identity

Relationship Between Clothing and individuality substantive culture refers to the corporal, physical object constructed by humanitys. Ferguson (1977) describes solid culture as all of the things mickle leave behind . All of the things sight make from the physical humanity farm tools, ceramics, houses, furniture, toys, only iftons, roads and cities (Ferguson, 1977). Material culture refers to objects that argon used, lived in, displayed and experienced. Human beings interact with clobber culture as a normal founder of their daily lives. Because of this interaction, veridical culture and human living is strongly influenced by each other, and through analyse material culture gives us important clues ab erupt the way humans live and abide lived in the past. Schlereth (1982) outlines the importance of the take in of material culture, arguing that through material culture we can learn approximately the belief systems the values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions of a exp ositicular community of Society, unremarkably across time (Schlereth, 1982). Schlereth continues to state that a study is based upon the obvious idea that the instauration of a man-made object is concrete evidence of the front line of a human mind operating at the time of action. The common statement underlying material culture research is that objects made or modified by humans, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, reflect the belief patters of individuals who made, commissi angiotensin-converting enzymed, purchased, or used them, and, by extension, the belief patterns of the larger partnership of which they be a part (Schlereth, 1982). By studying culture as something created and lived through objects, we learn to understand the companionable structures, human action, emotion and meaning, and through this process we bond together the crucial link amid social and economic factors with the individual actor. This is where we can introduce Marxism fashion of production, if we consider material culture in terms of consumer societies we lead be able to reproduce and challenge social structures. However, according to Marx and Engels (1965, p32) in The German IdeologyThis mode of production must not be considered simply as being the reproduction of physical existence of individuals. Rather it is a explicit form of activity of these individuals, a definite form of expressing their life, a definite mode of life on their part (Sahlins, 1976).Marx mode of production worked in the following way people produce commodities and sell them so that they can buy other commodities to satisfy their own needs and wants.For Marx, production is something more than functional logic of material forcefulnessiveness, it is a cultural intention.Take for example, if you control around your home, objects be everywhere cups/mugs, computers, apparel. You know what most of these are because they are part of you familiar environment, if you have grown up with these objects they have been a part of your life. Now if a person lived in a different part of the world and from a different century, they would have a difficult time trying to understand our material culture. Each object has a story to tell, a story which has been shaped by human used. If material objects are been analyzed, basic facts pass on be recorded, a verbal description which might include measurements, material, each distinguishing features, take note of everything which will determine a clearer picture about the object. This key information will provide material about the technology used, the economy, or social relations indoors the given society and how they have changed or progressed over time.Clothing and in particular designer renders can mask a persons real persona. The garment can be worn to impress and make the wearer feel more confident, hitherto this can also be taken to the extreme in that if a persons egotism worth and morale is low clothes are used to state falsely about the importance of the person. wearing definite clothing may make a person feel empowered by altering their self perception, they can assist in forming or negating interpersonal and group attachments, mediating the formation of self- individuality and esteem and integrating and differentiating social groups classes or tribes (Woodward, 2007, p4 ).Alison Lurie states that in her Language of Clothes that clothes introduce individuals subconsciously before they even avow a word (Lurie A. , 1992). Clothes are expressions of identity, one of the permanent ways we signal to the social world who and what we are (Twigg, 2007). It is also an expression and fulfilment of human needs needs of the luggage compartment and mind. These expressions function within a cultural context with the purpose of passing on distinctive meanings to social forms. Clothes have been used to identify our links, such as what school we at scat, what job we have or what group we are a part of. Schools use uniforms to identify their students, although uniforms can be a really useful if the students are out on day trips, the uniform will be easily recognisable to pick out students, these students then represent the school. Occupations have informed the public of their identity and job titles throught the use of clothing, for example gardai, nurses, surgeon, hostage guards, fire fighters the list is endless when you really think about it.In most cultures gender specialisation of clothing is considered appropriate for both men and women. There are many features that differentiate the gender of clothing. The male fabric is relatively caorse and stiff, usually heavier whereas feminine fabric is soft and fine. Masculine colours usually tend to be darker, and feminine coloured clothing is usually light or pastel. The cut in mens clothing is square with corners and angles, and womens dress lines emphasize the flow, the curve and the actual style of the dress. These elements con vey social meaning (Sahlins, 1976). The sturctural lines in the cut or patterns of clothing make up analogous class of meaningful contrasts (Sahlins, 1976). The importance seems to be related with three characteristics of a line direction, form and rhythm. Direction refers to direction in relation to the ground. take a crap refers to its properties as curved or straight. And rhythm refers to the periodicity of the curve or angle (Sahlins, 1976).In Hesperian societies, womens clothing usually consists of skirts, dresses and high heels, while a tie is usually seen as mens clothing. Trousers/jeans were seen as mens clothing but nowadays they are worn by both male and female. Female clothing usually tends to be more attractive in comparison to male clothing.Clothing also identifies religious groups. In some cultures, laws regulate what men and women are required to wear. A man wearing a headdress called yarmulke/kippah is most promising to be Jewish, and a woman wearing a hijab is mo st likely to be Muslim. The yarmulke is for a Jew to announce publicly that he respects God and that God is to a higher place human kind. According to the Talmud (Jewish Religious Commentary), wearing the kippah reminds Jews that there is a higher authority, and it reminds us that God is invariably watching (Silvestri, 2010). A Muslim woman who wears a hijab not only publicly announces her religious identity, but when her face is covered, men cannot judge her by her appearance, they are able to evaluate her by her personality, character, and morals (Hussein). If we look at the catholic culture in Ireland, a man wearing in a ignominious robe or outfit and a roman collar is identified as a non-Christian priest and is given the title father in the Roman Catholic churches. In Islamic culture, men arrogance themselves in wearing turbans because of its significant spiritual symbolism of their cultural faith. Turbans are still worn forthwith by Islamic men as a way of distinguishing t hemselves, strengthening social ties and giving a sense of group identity. They are considered important in prayer, where the rewards are said to be twenty-five quantify greater when the headdress is worn. However in saying all of this the turban also has a practical function, it protects the mens head from the heat and dust in Arab countries (Bennett, 2010). Again, we see clothing as the subconscious communicator that announces ones religious identity publicly.According to Sahlins (1976), American clothing amounts to a very complex scheme of cultural categories and the relations between them. The scheme operates a set of rules for declining and combining classes of the clothing which formulate the cultural categories. Each aspect consists of a range of meaningful variation, some will be present and others will be absent (Sahlins, 1976. p179). The outfit as a whole makes a statement, developed out of the particular arrangement of garment separate and by contrasting to other outfit s (Sahlins, 1976. P 179). Strictly speaking, clothes is not a part of your body, however, since your body is largely covered in it, your clothing will affect the way you come across. Seeing as your clothing is such a large factor, on the message your giving off, your appearence is important and will effect the view others have on you. The clothes you are wearing make a statement about your identity and your social status, the colour and style of clothes worn tell others about how you are thought in the world. Clothes have the ability to inform publicly of ones identity, mood, generation, religion, and culture. It is a dustup that is constantly in communication with people introduced or not introduced. Although the language of clothes speaks, it may not be totally accurate, but it gives one an idea of an individuals identity and personality. The language of clothes is used daily and can be seen every day in the home, at church, out shopping and within the political world. It is a language that everyone uses as an ice-breaker to open up conversation or to have common ground and value. Clothing as a communicator can be seen worldwide and is used universally. Taking all of the above into consideration one can say that material culture can be compared to a language.