Comments on: What Are We Doing When We Wear Clothes? http://thesimulacra.net/journal/2007/10/16/what-are-we-trying-to-do-when-we-wear-clothes/ "Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane." - Philip K Dick Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:25:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Suzy http://thesimulacra.net/journal/2007/10/16/what-are-we-trying-to-do-when-we-wear-clothes/#comment-2328 Suzy Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:29:10 +0000 http://thesimulacra.net/journal/2007/10/16/what-are-we-trying-to-do-when-we-wear-clothes/#comment-2328 As you know, I am a big fan of that Virginia Woolf passage, but you have left something out here - gender. Clothes are a crucial part of gender identity; this performance that one has to maintain to fit in with the norms of society - I think that's what she's getting at. Unfortunately, appearance dictates a large part of our social interactions and our reception in society - amazing how the visual can have such a hold on our social experience and can control the outward projection of the self. Clothes can enhance one's individuality, but the element of deception and masking is always present - first impressions generally do not extend beyond that façade. As you know, I am a big fan of that Virginia Woolf passage, but you have left something out here - gender. Clothes are a crucial part of gender identity; this performance that one has to maintain to fit in with the norms of society - I think that’s what she’s getting at.
Unfortunately, appearance dictates a large part of our social interactions and our reception in society - amazing how the visual can have such a hold on our social experience and can control the outward projection of the self. Clothes can enhance one’s individuality, but the element of deception and masking is always present - first impressions generally do not extend beyond that façade.

]]> By: Seb http://thesimulacra.net/journal/2007/10/16/what-are-we-trying-to-do-when-we-wear-clothes/#comment-2327 Seb Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:01:23 +0000 http://thesimulacra.net/journal/2007/10/16/what-are-we-trying-to-do-when-we-wear-clothes/#comment-2327 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30) That's what I also think about clothes. “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30)

That’s what I also think about clothes.

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