Dress, Fashion, and Gender and Blurred Social Status of Women - Coursework Example

Name Tutor Task Date Dress, Fashion, and Gender "Blurred Social Status of Women” People are often exposed to social stratification in the society from as early as childhood all the way to elderly adult. The society puts classes based on how much income one makes. This also results to the general lifestyle that one takes. The society forces us to identify ourselves by the classes we are in which further bleeds into the work place, media and schools. Social classification is also influenced by types, fashion and brand of cloths we buy. In this perspective, cloth industries have developed a business pattern of renting clothes cheaper than the purchasing price. Many people have joined this business as they can pay a small amount for the rent than the big amount of purchase. Mostly, the upper classes tend to buy the most expensive and unique designs; the middle class are increasingly following the cue. However, the middle class rents the cloths for a day for a particular occasion. In different occasions therefore, one cannot easily identify the social status of another by looking at what they wear. With the growth of clothing rental outlets, Americans are increasingly able to project a higher economic status and hence social classes become blurred to the point that it can not be perceived through clothing and appearance when compared to the 18th Century (Marie Antoinette's time). Everybody wear clothes for protection from natural conditions. These are conditions such as extreme heat, strong sunlight and even cold weather that necessitated the wearing of clothes by people. The reason for people wearing clothes has changed with time into symbols. Clothing conveys social messages and they now denote social status, ethnicity, marital status, economic situations, sexual orientation and religious affiliations (Michaels, 125). Clothes have therefore become a crucial part to many people for of denoting one’s appearance and class. To be able to inter prate someone’s message with a specific choice of cloth he or she has on, you have to be effectively well vast with the information to be able to identify the hidden message. According to Argyle, clothes send a message about the wearer’s personality, group membership and status. It determines how favorable a person can be evaluated by another since clothes are important sign to social class. In the past, it was expected that a well dressed person would normally associate with other smartly dressed people in town rather than with unkempt- poorly groomed persons (Kaminer, 45). For example, a well dressed activist received fewer signatures on a petition than a hippie dressed activist. This gives the reason why stereotypes and characterization have flourished even though most of the clothing is falsely used by those attempting to translate some of these messages. It is easier for a person to comprehend only one part of the reason of the cloth another person who wears it conveys, but the overall meaning groups people into different class levels in the society. Material culture used to demarcate reinforce the social rifts between the social strata from early times as Marie Antoinette’s time. It strengthened this system of deference because the upper class was in a position of emphasizing their influence and power to the middle and lower classes. This was done through the flamboyant dressing code that helped in the assertion of legitimacy of leadership in the colonial world. The elite class would in most cases do anything to change their behavior in the event that lower classes begin to emulate their ways. This was done to further impose the stratification of the society. At this point, the middle class were rising to positions where they could be able to purchase and acquire luxurious clothes and items. For example, credit system used for paying for the products and services was only open to the elite group. The middle class was forbidden from repaying debts as it was hard for them to do so. Thus the social status was maintained (Kaminer, 45). Fashion companies target high income classes with expensive clothes while middle classes are targeted by fairly expensive clothes. Consequentially, companies still target classless individuals in the society by cheap clothes that are distinct from those of the middle and upper class social status. The result is the emergence of social problems because different classes are identifiable by their mode of dressing. Class conflict is common within the society where in other situation if you are not wearing anything “cool” then you are not cool and cannot fit in with the cool people. Conversely, if your mode of dressing is not elegant in a graceful party, then you will be breaking the social rules. Some people would even throw you glances that tell “you are out of wrong place” (Michaels, 125). Social problems cause class conflict in the whole society but people should appreciate that not every family can afford to buy expensive clothing that make them fit into a higher social class. All these class problems were visible during Marie Antoinette's time because then, people had not found out ways of blending up to a different class using the type of cloth worn. The current American society contains a different kind of view with regards to the type of cloth people put on. No longer are clothes the determinants of class levels because people have found ways of renting cloths for different occasions. The cloths rented are fit to determine the class an individual is in. It is therefore convenient for a middle class person to rent a cloth meant for the upper class at a lower fee (Kaminer, 46). The result is a situation where you people can never tell what class the other is in, in a public gathering. This has tremendously reduced the class conflict witnessed in Marie Antoinette’s time. This has made different industries to appreciate change and as a result they are offering designer clothes for rent. Fashion industries have therefore been made to experience a lot of changes in line with the dynamic society. Women dresses such as, Black satin cocktail, Dress Blue jersey dress, Evening Dress and Marchesa silk dress. The black satin cocktail dress has asymmetric hem line and contains diamante detail. Maintaining one type of message and attempting to make clothes using one system as the base is wrong in the current society. This is because, the manner and speed at which clothing and fashion is changing varies among historic moments and among different cultures in American social system. The modern American citizens have been able to adopt frequent restructuring of their way of life and fashion principles in a bid to move with the changes in the country’s industrialization level. Many industries are also devoting their time and efforts to translate and develop the clothing patter of a different generation (Michaels, 126). For example, if wearing a suit is the only identifiable and acceptable code of dressing at work and at official functions in the Western culture, then migration and different cultural exchanges have brought in different acceptable fashion statements in the Western culture and thus the changes must also be met by fashion industries. The social classes have rules that govern the clothing types and fashion. In the past, social status was expressed by heavy jewels and expensive clothing. Today, brand names have surpassed this criterion. Expensive brand names illustrate a more economic power than the cloth itself. Consequently, social class systems have been destroyed or restructured bringing conflicts. You find that since there is no law that prohibits lower status Americans from wearing high status garments, therefore, they have found ways of wearing high status garments. Fashion industries have also developed ways to ensure that clients are satisfied by the services they offer (Kaminer, 47). They have thus brought the idea of lending garments to anybody regardless of the social status. The displayed message that one receives from examining the appearance of the cloth wearer has therefore been destroyed making it futile to try and decode such messages. Contemporary sociologists and anthropologists have also supported the idea that social effect on clothing has faded away and now depends on an individual’s understanding. Industries have been influenced by the social changes to an extent but they still dictate on longer fix superficialities and dictate the social structure as pertains to clothing and self ornamentation. One main rule of fashion that motivates this situation is the rule to constantly remain current. This has also disregarded the aspect of durability in good processing goods. The aspect of durability affected consumers because they consumers were constantly discarding clothing in order to reinforce their social status (Michaels, 128). For example, in the colonial world, colonists were acquiring new wigs since different sizes indicated an individual’s possession of wealth. Supporting one’s own air was considered uncouth and provincial. In the eighteenth century, fashion influenced clothing choices and consumerism. All materials for making clothing were imported from England because it was the center where textile industry was located and the clothes consisted of muslin, flax and linen. Countries have been setting styles and different countries and towns have been copying. Fashion companies such as Paris have been setting styles and London has been copying. On the other hand American companies copies from London. Shoes have also been greatly affected by fashion’s prominence in America (Kaminer, 48). Shoes have been considered incredibly more fashionable if imported from England and thus were expensive. In the current America, the quality of dress is determined by the workmanship and the material dictates the wide range of prices for hire. Fashion companies have therefore stayed abreast of the ever changing fashions. They would watch arrivals of posts to see the styles that need to be taken up (Kaminer, 60). Conclusion Clothes have been found to help identify an individual with peers and to distinguish between people. Additionally, clothing is used to allow the observer to identify the types of characters which will also help communicate stereotypes. A stereotype serves functions to recognize social class. The idea of status through display had been used universally in every country but it is changing in American society. This proof of universality of fashion is suggestive of Wright’s methods of identifying natural selection in terms of social strata. This is for the reason that people tend to display their wealth, demonstrate skills in a particular area and to display achievement through this phenomenon. They were put into use and continue to be used in other countries except America as a facilitator of guaranteeing reproductive success. With the growth of clothing rental outlets, Americans are increasingly able to project a higher economic status and hence social classes become blurred and can no longer be easily identified through clothing and appearance when compared to the 18th Century (Marie Antoinette's time). The cloths rented are fit to determine the class an individual is in since it is possible for a middle class person to rent a cloth meant for the upper class at a lower fee. These clothes can be found in U.S rental shops such as; Formal Wear & Costume, Rental and Gingiss Formal Wear. This has resulted into a situation where people can never tell what class the other is in when in a public gathering or in any social gathering. This concept has tremendously reduced the class conflict in America as witnessed in Marie Antoinette’s time. Different industries have therefore adapted to the changes hence they are offering designer clothes for rent. Fashion industries have therefore been made to undergo various changes with the changes observed in the society. Fashion companies have thus brought the idea of lending garments to anybody regardless of the social status. The displayed message that one receives after evaluating the appearance of the cloth wearer has therefore been destroyed thus if one relies on the message, they will be making false conclusions. This system has reduced social problems which caused class conflict all over society. The main problem is that people never know that not every family can afford to buy the type of clothing that make them fit into a higher social class. Work cited Kaminer, Arie. Queen for a Day In Rented Finery: Fashion and Personality. Longhorn Publishers. 2005. 45-60 Michaels, Ravine. Discourse on Fashion in Relation to Personality. Hackett Publishing, 2007. 125-128 Read More

For example, a well dressed activist received fewer signatures on a petition than a hippie dressed activist. This gives the reason why stereotypes and characterization have flourished even though most of the clothing is falsely used by those attempting to translate some of these messages. It is easier for a person to comprehend only one part of the reason of the cloth another person who wears it conveys, but the overall meaning groups people into different class levels in the society. Material culture used to demarcate reinforce the social rifts between the social strata from early times as Marie Antoinette’s time.

It strengthened this system of deference because the upper class was in a position of emphasizing their influence and power to the middle and lower classes. This was done through the flamboyant dressing code that helped in the assertion of legitimacy of leadership in the colonial world. The elite class would in most cases do anything to change their behavior in the event that lower classes begin to emulate their ways. This was done to further impose the stratification of the society. At this point, the middle class were rising to positions where they could be able to purchase and acquire luxurious clothes and items.

For example, credit system used for paying for the products and services was only open to the elite group. The middle class was forbidden from repaying debts as it was hard for them to do so. Thus the social status was maintained (Kaminer, 45). Fashion companies target high income classes with expensive clothes while middle classes are targeted by fairly expensive clothes. Consequentially, companies still target classless individuals in the society by cheap clothes that are distinct from those of the middle and upper class social status.

The result is the emergence of social problems because different classes are identifiable by their mode of dressing. Class conflict is common within the society where in other situation if you are not wearing anything “cool” then you are not cool and cannot fit in with the cool people. Conversely, if your mode of dressing is not elegant in a graceful party, then you will be breaking the social rules. Some people would even throw you glances that tell “you are out of wrong place” (Michaels, 125).

Social problems cause class conflict in the whole society but people should appreciate that not every family can afford to buy expensive clothing that make them fit into a higher social class. All these class problems were visible during Marie Antoinette's time because then, people had not found out ways of blending up to a different class using the type of cloth worn. The current American society contains a different kind of view with regards to the type of cloth people put on. No longer are clothes the determinants of class levels because people have found ways of renting cloths for different occasions.

The cloths rented are fit to determine the class an individual is in. It is therefore convenient for a middle class person to rent a cloth meant for the upper class at a lower fee (Kaminer, 46). The result is a situation where you people can never tell what class the other is in, in a public gathering. This has tremendously reduced the class conflict witnessed in Marie Antoinette’s time. This has made different industries to appreciate change and as a result they are offering designer clothes for rent.

Fashion industries have therefore been made to experience a lot of changes in line with the dynamic society. Women dresses such as, Black satin cocktail, Dress Blue jersey dress, Evening Dress and Marchesa silk dress. The black satin cocktail dress has asymmetric hem line and contains diamante detail. Maintaining one type of message and attempting to make clothes using one system as the base is wrong in the current society. This is because, the manner and speed at which clothing and fashion is changing varies among historic moments and among different cultures in American social system.

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