Artifact #4 (Week #5)
Objectives:
- Evaluate personal values and paradigms around body decoration and physical beauty.
- Investigate how physical appearance affects definitions of identity and belonging.
Artifact:
Blog Posting
I would like to think that I dress nicely. I definitely dress comfortable but I generally always look presentable and well-dressed whenever I am in public. Growing up my family was never that much into brand names but they did think that we should dress in the “latest fashions”. Until middle school I felt that getting clothes from anywhere was fine and I would wear anything but once I reached high-school the issue of what to wear took up much more importance to me. That was when I started to dress in more brand name pieces. I do not think that this change came about consciously but I observed all of my friends dressing in nicer brand clothing and so I followed suit. My values in regards to my clothing and body choices definitely changed once I saw what everyone else was wearing. I would like to think that I do not just follow the crowd but I generally dress in what I see others wearing. It is because I do like the actual clothes but in some way I guess there is an issue of fitting in.
Recently I have gotten my nose pierced. I have wanted to do this for quite some time. My family has always supported my decision in getting this done, but many people I know have looked down upon getting this done. Some people see it as tacky and cheap. The fact that others think this almost made me not get it done but my parents have always told me do what you want to do and not what others want you to do, and that it does not matter what others think of you, so I decided to pierce my nose. I realized that it does not matter how others look at you and to be happy you must do the things you desire. Upon getting this done I have received much more positive feedback then I would have thought I would get. Another thing that has helped shape me in the past 2 years is the fact that I am now in college. My peer community has now changed vastly and I know many more types of people then I knew before. Being content with who you are and who you know makes you into a greater person and there will always be people that believe it does not matter how you dress they will like you for the person you are.
I do believe first impressions are important which is why I continually will wear nicer clothing. I do think it is sometimes not fair that others are judgmental about a person before knowing them just by the clothes they wear, the tattoos they have, the piercings they have, but I know this is life so I believe this is why I hold the clothes and the brand names that I wear so highly. I personally try not to judge others from how they choose to dress because I know that clothing in no way should represent a person, but I know that this is an everyday occurrence. If only everyone could break down those stereotypes and get to know others based on their personalities, only then would our society progress in a positive manner.
Reflection:
This was probably the most interesting assignment that we have done thus far. I have always thought about why I dress the way I do, why I have pre-conceived notions and judgments of people that I do not know and how society comes about with these stereotypes. I think it is very interesting to break apart how these assumptions all come to be. I know I personally try to befriend everyone. Just because they look a certain way, act a certain way or dress a certain way will not stop me from talking to them but that does not mean I cannot help but have judgments about them. I hate that this is how it has to be but first impressions are the most important. This is true in any situation; especially for example in a business like setting where one is trying to get a job. There is no escaping these first impressions but I think once people look past those more good comes of it. It was interesting for me to realize that the reason I dress the way I chose to is probably from the people I grew up around especially those in high-school. The group I put myself around for the most part dressed in brand names and it is interesting to me to realize that I just followed suit. I never stopped to think that maybe I shouldn’t dress like the people I was around but instead it just came naturally. I do not think I did it conciously but rather subconciously just because I enjoyed some of the clothes that they were wearing. Fashion is rather important to me and I do it because the clothes I feel like wearing look nice, even though upon dissecting further, I probably dress like I do to fit in. I think that through clothes there can be a lot of self expression but that that is not always the case. People can be different because they are trying to be, or they can just dress in a way that they feel best suits them merely because they enjoy the clothes. I learned through examination that yes it is better to fit in and not break the norm and that some people dress the way they do to not be judged, but that in actuality everyone is being judged all of the time and there is no way to break away from that.
For the future I think I will remember this assignment a lot. I do not want to add to societies negative ideals that just because one dresses different or has body piercings or tattoos that they are different then for instance myself. Clothing is a way to express one’s self and it really is not fair to automatically stick an assumption onto someone for how they choose to look. People have feelings and different personalities and only if I choose to get to know them on a deeper level can I then evaluate them open and honestly.
My original personal adornment discussion can be found here Link
