Forming a Style

Having been in many situations and around many people in my life where appearance matters, I am defensive of clothes and the importance of the message they carry. It is an understatement that not all nice clothes mean whoever wearing them is “superficial”, because appearances do matter depending on the environment and situation that the wearer is in. Maybe in a perfect universe someone could always show up for work being underdressed and not be judged, but depending on one’s career it is usually best to be presentable out of respect and acknowledgement of coworkers, position, and the formality and seriousness of one’s job. What kind of message would be sent to clients or customers if they were to be met by someone of an important position in casual clothes like t-shirts and jeans? Incredulity would ensue if someone showed up to a cocktail or black-tie event like a wedding underdressed- it would show an assumed lack of respect.
Unfortunately, some people seem to think that dressing nicely is the opposite of having an individual style. This is often not the case and slightly more formal clothes only restrict what may look tacky in a certain situation; not necessarily restricting one’s entire style. I am all for individual style and think it should be fostered as a statement of one’s self. Designer clothes may understandably be controversial to some, considering where they come from, but anyone can wear less expensive items and still look appropriate for work or an event that requires dress-up. However, when it comes to pondering if a very individual look might be “in style” or not, deciding gets tricky.
Being honest with myself, there are times I covet clothes and a certain appearance, as do most people I’m sure, whether they like it or not. It is interesting to see how some people try so hard to be in style and some try specifically hard not to be in style, wanting to look different and often to project an attitude of “I don’t care about trends at all- just try to make me conform!” Of the two I laugh more at the former when taken to an extreme. A “chav” in Great Britain refers to a guy who thinks himself fabulous because he is decked out in several big labels advertising their logos in one outfit; a “chavette” is a female version. Occasionally around campus I’ll see a chavette and laugh at how she is trying way too hard to be trendy and show off that she can afford designer stuff. If someone wants to be taken seriously he or she should probably avoid either extreme of being a chav or a style rebel; both of these are “trying too hard” and looks that are effortlessly suiting tend to be better taken to. We learn to read people by their styles because looks represent what a person feels about himself and his environment. For this reason outfits will continue to be significant in society.