Textile as Identity - Case Study Example

TEXTILE AS IDENTITY By Introduction The outward definition of textile, to many, is nothing but a fabric that is made by knotting, weaving, crocheting, knitting, or pressing fibres together. However, if one was to investigate the term and [textile] industry further, they would realize that there is much more to the term textile than meets the eye. The textile industry produces many essentials required by humans, and clothing is one of the most used by-products of this industry. Unknown to many, textile play a major role in human societies and one key role is giving, or representing identity. In short, a correlation exists between textiles and identity. For instance, the type of clothes that one wears can; dictate their social class, show their gender, represent an occasion, or place one in a certain cultural context amongst others. As such, textiles have a role in any place they are found, be they used as clothes, flags, wall hangings, or floor rugs. The variation is portrayed by the design that a textile is made into, the settings it is used in, the persons it is intended for, the colour that it is given, the texture it is made of, and also its size, to mention but a few. Following these statements, the following case study text will expound on the application of textiles as creating an identity by discussing several identities that it they may provide such as social class, culture, gender, hierarchy, profession, and occasions. Context This case study is based on the fact that people do not necessarily understand the role played by textiles in their lives. In short, people will go to weddings dressed “for a wedding”, know civilians from authorities by their clothes, know hospital settings, recognize people from different cultures, identify nations by their flags, and be able to decode the professions of people going by the way textiles have been used. However, it is obvious that people do understand the role that textiles play in creating such identities. They only see flags, buy and wear clothes, and also know others from their dressing. A query emerges following these revelations; that do people realize that textiles create an identity? This study highlights the identity aspect as created from textiles. In highlighting the identity aspect of textiles, this study will evaluate literatures from authors that have been created in line with the matter in the investigation. A report method will be used to collect information that supports the fact that textiles create identity and in it providing corresponding examples. Concisely, different literatures will be analysed and the manner in which textile creates identity highlighted. Analysis Identity as created by textile is not an emerging trend; rather, it is an aspect that has always existed. According to Condra (2008, p. 166), over four-hundred years ago, clothing was used to identify between men and women. Additionally, clothing was used to represent one’s occupation, religion, national identity, and their social status. As such, dressing, as part of textile, was an integral part of the ancient past. One way that ancient Europeans and Americans used textile to show identity was evident in religious leaders and missionaries. They preached the gospel and enforced regulations that believers should dress in a “godliness manner”. Similarly, colonialists, in a bid to retain the authentic identity of their places or origin preserved their traditional ways of dressing (167). Again, it was possible to tell between French nationalists from the Spanish, and Americans from Indians going by their mode of dressing. “…pious dress with American identity when he famously landed on French shores in 1776 wearing his brown suit and signature coon-skin cap” (168). In this statement, it is evident that textiles played a key role in creating the gender, religious, political, and nationality identity of a person. Apart from these identities, textiles were also used to differentiate people who were working from those that were not. For instance, working-class women and men wore hats of varying styles to shade their necks and faces when they worked in the sun. Again, these hats were different from region to region. This means that the nationality or place of origin of working-class people could be identified by the style of their hats. Finally, slaves in the ancient days were made to wear neckerchiefs around their necks and on their heads. This was intended to absorb their sweat and protect them from the sun. Gender Fashion is based solely on textiles. As such, it is also used to represent some identity, and particularly in terms of gender. For instance, the first consideration that people make before buying any type of cloth or fabric is the gender that it is meant for. In short, women have specific clothes made for them, and men alike. This too, has been a recurrent trend in history. As Barnard (2014, p.207) states, women’s clothes were designed such that they attracted their male counterparts. As such, women’s clothes were more decorated than men’s. In this, textiles would create an identity in that one could recognize a woman by the type of clothing they wore. This trend extends today in that textiles can be designed specifically for men or women. For example, in most cases, pink fabrics will be used to create female accessories. As such, pink carpets can be made to target females, pink suits, and pink towels. This is because in the contemporary world, society has stereotyped colours and associated them with males or females (Zimmerman 2013, p. 88). Additionally, women’s clothes are today made to sexually attract their male counterparts. Soft fabrics are used to manufacture their garments. Again, some garments such as skirts and blouses are meant for females only. On the contrary, men can be identified in that they wear trousers and shirts. Today, the trend of manufacturing tight-fitting garments that outline the female body is common. Such garments are made specifically for ladies, and the intent is to magnify the beauty of the female body and attract men (Lennon, Johnson, & Schulz 1999, p. 144). Finally, materials such as silk and soft linen are associated with female accessories and fashion, and in very rare cases will men be associated with such. Therefore, it is evident that in textiles, gender identity is identifiable going by the segregation between male and female garments (textiles). Class Fashion is evidently one of the most outstanding applications of textiles because clothes make up the larger context of fashion (Tuthill 2012, n.p.). The type of dressing (fashion) of an individual prior to the Industrial Revolution in the United States was critical in determining their social class. History has it that clothing was amongst the most valuable possessions that a person could have back then. Clothes were willed by the wealthy to their kin while poor people had no clothes. In this, clothing [textiles] were used to create the identity between poor and rich persons before the Industrial Revolution in the United States. This gap was caused by the fact that clothes were not being produced in large-scale and therefore remained a preserve for the rich. As such, there were two classes in society; high and low-class. The Industrial Revolution did not improve this classification because clothes were available for all people, but varied in terms of costs. As such, the expensive and fashionable clothes remained a preserve for the rich while the low-class was stuck with cheap and outdated clothes (Weir 2007, p. 255-256). Therefore, it was easy to distinguish between rich and low-class people going by their dressing. According to Kim, Fiore, and Kim (2013, p. 12), the above identity can be explained by the imitation and differentiation theory. The theory states that the gap between the poor and the rich exists because the low-class people will attempt to imitate the dressing of the elite class. On their part, the high-class people will advance their fashion so they do not level with the lower class. In this, the identities remain visible. “The elite class differentiated itself from the lower classes by adopting new styles. Once these styles were adopted by the lower classes, the elite classes gave up the styles and selected new styles” (12). Nationality Woven mats and carpets are common and treasured in the Middle East region. While in most parts of the world carpets and mats are just decorative accessories, the Middle Eastern people, mostly of Islamic religion, perceive of them as icons of their faith. The reason why they treasure them is because they believe the first shrine made by Abraham to worship God was lined with fine textiles (Rippin2013, p. 424). As such, it is common to find many Muslims with different types of colourful woven fabrics. One common embroidered rag is known as the kiswa. It is a black rag and has silver and gold elaborate calligraphic weavings which in most cases possess Qur’anic messages. Therefore, finding a person with such rugs might indicate that they are Muslims. Still on Muslims, their dressing remains an outstanding example of identity created from textiles. Their religion demands that women should not wear trousers. Rather, they should wear long robes that cover their bodies to the feet. Again, they are supposed to cover their heads in veils so their hair remains hidden. At times, the veil is supposed to cover their faces and only leave a narrow opening for the eyes (Amer 2014, p. 95). This makes Muslims one of the easiest people to identify going by their dressing. Again, Muslim men also wear decorated shawls in place of trousers or shorts when they are not conducting official business. Similarly, the Arabs are identified by the milk-white robes that they wear. Additionally, they wear turbans on their heads that are made of a common type of cloth with red cheeks and knotted dangling laces (Ober 2003, p. 170). In Africa, textiles play a greater role in identifying persons from different regions. In Eritrea and the Ethiopian highlands, the women are identified by wearing the Kemis. These are cotton dresses adorned with fitted bodices, full skirts, and with long sleeves. They also throw the Shamma over their shoulders and heads. This is a light shawl. Additionally, when it rains, they wear capes made of woven grass known as wollo, and also cover themselves in tightly-woven blankets called kutta. In East Africa, and particularly in the coastal regions, people wear the kikoi, which is a shawl wrapped around their lower body (waist-down). It is usually woven in striped or multi-colour warps and wefts (Appiah & Gates 2005, p. 133). Collectively, these woven fabrics and accessories would be used to identify the region from which those who use them originate from. As such, they support the statement that textiles indeed create identity. Profession One of the most common representations of identity created from textiles in the modern day is differentiating between professions. As Falola (2001, p. 115) states, in the past, Kings and chiefs would wear traditional dresses that showed authority in their respective territories. Today, the same trend is replicated as different dress codes are set to represent different occupations. Today, small children and adults alike can easily spot policemen, doctors, students, and nurses from the type of dressing they adorn. “As in all modern societies, clothes distinguish members of certain occupations, such as members of the army, police, navy, firefighters, and prison officers, each with their own particular uniform” (115). Better put, the army and the police adorn different uniforms so they can be differentiated. Similarly, different schools have different uniforms that are meant to identify students with themselves. Additionally, people can pick out policemen in the streets going by their uniforms (Johnson, Ju Yoo, & Kim 2008, p. 4). Collectively, all these are forms of identity that are enabled by textile. It is through knotting, weaving, crocheting, knitting, or pressing fibres together that these uniforms can be manufactured, thus the aspect of textile. Barratt (2011, p. 92) supports the above by indicating that it is possible to identify college-goers simply by their dressing. He asserts that the campus environment influences a type and style of dressing that can only be found on campus. For instance, modelling at the campus will dictate the way that campus students are going to dress. Interestingly, it is revealed that education students will dress differently from business students. As such, the type of dressing of campus can indicate the major that one is undertaking. “Wearing obviously labelled fashions featuring brand names emblazoned across chests and rear ends is an obvious statement of belongingness” (92). In this statement, it is clear that college students will dress differently from high school and elementary school students. As such, the defined style of dressing tells one that that they are college students. Therefore, textiles, in this context too, provide a form of identity. Finally, the use of “red carpets” is usually associated with high-ranking officials such as presidents or public figures such as celebrities. These carpets are forms of textiles. The difference that exists between normal and red carpets is that carpets indicate authority or higher hierarchy. In short, they are not meant for the average person, but for elevated individuals (Keiter 1997, p. 7). As such, people understand that someone important, is expected when they hear them being associated with the red carpet. This means that in the absence of textiles, red carpets would not exist and such individuals would not be recognized. Place In addition to the above types of identities created from textiles, there is also an identity of place. In a nutshell, textiles can be used to represent the identity of a place (Mathiassen, et. al 2014, p.6). One common application of textiles to give identity is evident in churches. The robes worn by the clergy, the hangings, and more importantly altar cloths are defined by a form of textile called ecclesiastical embroidery. In these kinds of textiles, religious subjects, figures, scenes and symbols are indicated on them. As such, a person will realize that they are in a church upon seeing them. Therefore, they give the church an identity as a holy place (Picken year, p. 112). Similarly, flags will give identity to a place. National flags, for instance, will tell a person that they are in a certain country since all nations have different flags. Again, flags are used in official state settings such as offices. Therefore, seeing flags will hint to a person that they are within governmental surroundings. All of these would not be possible in the absence of flags, which are by-products of textiles. In a summary, textiles can be used to provide the identity of a place (Roach-Higgins &Eicher 1992, p. 2). Conclusion In this case study, the query as to whether textiles represent or create some form of identity is discussed. In it, it is justified that indeed, they create it in multiple ways. Apart from the outward use of textiles, it is revealed that they play a deeper and more complex role (Johnson & Lennon 2015, n.p.). In the study, it is revealed that from ancient times, textiles have been creating identities. Colonialists, missionaries, and slaves had their dedicated identities. In the contemporary world, gender, hierarchy, social status, places, professions, and nationality identities are still created from textiles. These identities are created depending on the settings that the textiles are used, the targets they are meant for, their sizes, their functions, the type of decorations applied, and their overall appearance. Collectively, these factors associate them with a certain identity. In conclusion, it is sufficient to state from the study that textiles, apart from their outward functions, carry identities with them that can be revealed by analysing them closely. Bibliography Amer, S 2014, What is Veiling?UNC Press Books. Appiah, A, & Gates, H 2005, Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African And African American Experience. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Barnard, M 2014, Fashion Theory: An Introduction, New York: Routledge. Barratt, S 2011, Social Class on Campus: Theories and Manifestations. Stylus Publishing. Condra, J 2008, The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History: 1501-1800. Greenwood Publishing. Falola, T 2001, Culture and Customs of Nigeria, Greenwood Publishing Group. Johnson, K, & Lennon, S 2015, “The Social Psychology of Dress.”Berg Fashion Library.Available at http://www.bergfashionlibrary.com/page/The$0020Social$0020Psychology$0020of$0020Dress/the-social-psychology-of-dress [27 April, 2015]. 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