Ready means of fashion through which individuals can make visual statements - Essay Example

“Fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive visual ments about their identities” Most people use fashion to portray who they are. This is in the way they look, dress and accessorize. When a person chooses to look, dress and accessorize in a unique way, it usually portrays their attitude, identity and lifestyle (Breward, 2003). According to modernization theory, technology has led to spread of ideas and cultural mores. People acquire knowledge as a result of technology leading them to choose different ways of expressing themselves. Most people, however, do not know the entire information about a certain way of expression (Davis, 1992). For instance, a person may wear one earring as a visual statement just because they saw it in T.V without researching the reason why that person wore it. According to the theory of the Leisure class, some people may struggle to distinguish themselves form others. This is may be by dressing in extremely expensive clothes. Some people also go to extreme ways of looking even different through plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery (Tseëlon, 1995). Wolf infers that women have, in most cases suffered for beauty. This is by trying to portray their identities and lifestyles. According to her, women have the right to expresses themselves the way they want. Women are increasingly modifying their bodies to look different. This is by turning to plastic surgery cosmetic surgery and anti aging products in order to look perfect. Women are using their bodies as a display of identity, class and income. This got contributed mainly by the use of the body as a symbol in marketing, advertising, and in business to display a particular image. Fashion industry improves women’s lives by provides them with ways to visually express their personally and professionally (wolf, 2002). Wolf condemns the way women and represented in fashion and how they got treated by largely patriarchal societies around the world. In most cases, women like to express them as young. This leads them to using plastic surgery, diets, make up and aging prevention treatments. Aging psychologically and socially affects women in regards to fashion. Psychologically, when women age their drives, motives, intelligence and learning changes, therefore; they have to use fashion expressions that suit them. Women who wish to look young may turn to plastic surgery, and other anti aging products to look younger in order to look fashionable. There are also middle age women who only want to look fashionable. These women go for plastic surgeries for specific areas. For instance, breast implants so that when they wear certain clothes the breast cleavage will be visible. This means that they undergo plastic surgery for visual statements such as showing that they are curvy. Women for a long time have received pressure from both men and other women to maintain acceptable looks in their personal and professional life (Faircloth, 2003). This may be pressured when they are young or as they age. Aging creates a greater burden for women to visually express themselves (Faircloth, 2003). This is because the society expects them to maintain their looks and fashion as they age. Victoria Steiner and Gloria Steinem strongly oppose the idea that women’s beauty ideals lie in their looks, not in their minds. Bella Abzug and Gloria Anzaldua concur with this and claims society want women to looks like Barbie. However, for many women it is impossible to achieve due to physical reasons, lack of money or time. Fashion models constantly seen on television and magazines with the intention to represent beauty standards usually affect people perception of beauty. Ву choosing specific body types of women for fashion shows designers creates beauty standards. This makes women desire to look like those models. In order to acquire these attributes, they turn to plastic surgery and beauty anti aging products. Visually expressing oneself to look like a fashion models by undergoing plastic and cosmetic surgery puts women in danger. Women have inadequate time to go up the career ladder and, therefore, to develop professionally and personally, prefer to use visual fashion statements that will help them acquire these developments (Aapola, S., Gonick, M., & Harris, 2005). According to Liaw, increasing number of teenagers is turning to plastic surgery to improve their looks (visual expressions). She adds that these operations get funded by parents as birthday presents. This rising trend is contributed due to exposure to makeover shows and idealized images. According to Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, the teenagers may turn to plastic and cosmetic surgery because they learn this from the society. This is learning through observing in T.V, imitation of celebrities and social modeling. According to Italia Vigniero, in New York Times, she said that she supports plastic and cosmetic surgery. This is because it helps one acquire the silhouette of a woman. In addiction, she is considering a buttocks lift after receiving breast implants. Italia wanted to express herself visually as a Latino. She adds that Latinas get recognized by their body curves. There are social factors that influence ones visual statements. These factors are culture, age, status and subject matter (Fraser, &Greco, 2005). Age may influence ones visual statements. For instance, older women want to portray themselves as young and fashionable. Status influences one by the need to identify with a certain social class. Ones culture can influence they way they want to express themselves. For instance, eyelid surgery is predominant of all cosmetic procedures performed on clients of Asian descent and the West (William, 1995). This means that Asians may want to express themselves by undergoing an eye surgery to look different. The most common is double eyelid surgery. Most cosmetic surgeons argue that eyelid surgery is the most demanding of all plastic surgery processes and, clients satisfaction after eyelid surgery is surprising high (Paj-Dei Chen, 1995). In Asian society, beauty is seen in the body rather than inner self than why many Asian women are opting for surgeries such as eyelid surgery (Brand, 2000). (Eye surgery, Asian plastic surgery 2012, www.asiatplasticsurgeryguide.com) Asian and Middle Eastern women are also concerned about their skin color. Asians who are undergoing cosmetic surgery to be lighter wants to identify with certain social classes. In the Asian and Middle Eastern societies, dark skin is а sign of poverty (Rondilla, Joanne & Spickard, 2007). This belief makes them feel lower and less beautiful than they truly are. This is а throwback to historical times when royalty could be identified by pale skin. Peasants would have tanned skin due to their jobs status (Joanne & Paul, 2007). Women use visual statements to look attractive and get recognized. Studies by Bridget and Barbara have shown that more attractive people are generally perceived as more intelligent, honest, successful, and capable. Same studies have shown the relationship between professional and attractiveness recognition, promotions, hiring decisions, and differences in salary amounts. The research also shows that attractive people usually have increased romantic and sexual opportunities, and a large selection of potential partners. Schaefer claims that it is degrading for women to take serious notice of their appearance, however; many people do not share that opinion (Schaefer, 2002). Fashion and visual statements are outward manifestations of an inner self which needs to be visually expressed and be reinvented. They also enable one to redefine the borders between ourselves and culture despite people attempts to convince society that beauty is а myth, appearance still has a significant impact on womens lives (Macdonald,1995). Butler and Simone have a negative perception of how women portray their bodies and how they should present themselves. They believe that by transforming their bodies, woman loses ones identity and self respect. However, According to Primer, many women successful plastic surgery can lead to a boost in someones self esteem. This can have а snowball effect on many areas of ones life. Often, the correction of а problem perceived by the client can mean а loss or reduction of self-consciousness which is social anxiety that has been holding them back. For other people, plastic surgery may make them more confident because they feel that they are less vulnerable to be cruel to others. Butler blames the media and the fashion industry in the current situation, claiming that women are normally advised from a tender age about their looks. The beauty standards get created by the society one resides (Faircloth, 2003). Butler infers that plastic surgery and products to reduce aging do not only put women’s health at danger but also stop them from developing personally and professionally, therefore, lose their identity. Despite all the consequences, women are still willing to sacrifice their health, spend a lot of time and money in order to reach current beauty standards while men are much less pressured by society (Davis, 1992). According to cosmetic surgery national data bank, in 2011, 11.9 million of cosmetic procedures got performed only in America and these figures continue to rise. Surgeons have improved and widened the range of cosmetics procedures in United States. In an attempt to create visual statements and be admired by men, some women change themselves so much that they could no longer be recognized and develop healthy problems and complications. According to Susan Faludi in her book the backlash, there are dangers of career women desire to develop. She infers that by improving the way they look females rise their confidence and, therefore, improve their living standards. Women may, however, over do it and it may result to severe consequences (Faludi, 1991). The dangers she was predicting about are plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery. For instance, in the case of Alicia Duvall’s search for better looks because of her modeling career. She has undergone several procedures just to look the way she wants. However, despite negative side effects she has experienced, she might choose to undergo another surgery. Alicia Duvall, 2012. Alicia believes that visual statements are the most significant component of success and happiness and; therefore; she is ready to face anything in order to achieve perfection. Despite its popularity, plastic surgery still remains an extremely dangerous procedure with unpredictable results (Fraser & Greco, 2005). There are a lot of examples of adverse outcomes of plastic surgery. Celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Donatella Versace are few examples. In the book Cosmetic Surgery: A Feminist Primer, women have do not clearly understand cosmetic surgery even after Susan Bordo and Kathryn Pauly’s insight on cultural analyses in 1990s. Women opt to do plastic surgery on for their beauty without looking for its consequences. Every day many new books and articles about beauty standards are written telling people what would be considered as а benefit or disadvantage. These books and articles make women want to change their features in order to suit the standards (Breward, 2003). Women believe that some fashion attire will look better on them when they get fixed. It is fascinating to see that, unlike women, older men got considered wise, successful and handsome. Women in magazines and advertisements are exceptionally attractive, but, their photos are edited using photo shop to be perfect and ideal. This is to of youth this makes other women feel self-conscious and push them towards plastic surgery, make up and other beauty tools (Davis, 2000). Conclusion When choosing the manner to express oneself fashionably, one should consider it consequences. People should be encouraged to value themselves. They should also be enlightened of a different way of visually expressing themselves other than plastic surgery and ant aging products. The society too should not be stereotype women. People have the right to express fashionably themselves. Therefore, this right should be respected without setting standards. In addiction, people can express themselves through clothing, accessories, hairstyles and shoes unlike ways that have negative effects. Before one chooses to express themselves visually by undergoes plastic surgery or use of anti aging products, one should its consequences. Fashion is а powerful tool to make expressive, visual statements about their identities and personality (Tseëlon, 1995). When utilized well, it can build personality, portray lifestyle and indicate a social class. References Aapola, S., Gonick, M., & Harris, A. (2005). Young femininity: girlhood, power, and social change. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan. Black, P. (2004). The beauty industry: gender, culture, pleasure. London, Routledge. Bordo, S. (2005). Unbearable weight feminism, Western culture, and the body. Berkeley, Univ. of California Press. Brand, P. Z. (2000). Beauty matters. Bloomington, Indiana University Press. Breward, C. (2003). Fashion. Oxford, Oxford Univ. Press. Davis, F. (1992). Fashion, culture, and identity. Chicago, Univ. of Chicago Press Faircloth, C. A. (2003). Aging bodies: images and everyday experience. Walnut Creek, Calif, AltaMira Press. Faludi, S. (1991). Backlash: the undeclared war against women. New York, N.Y., Vintage Books. 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