E I N : "I feel like shit but look great" - Bret Easton Ellis
Z W E I : "The apparel oft proclaims the man" - Shakespeare
D R E I : "Those that make their dress a principle part of themselves, will, in general, become of no more value than their dress" - William Haslett
V I E R : Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly" - Epictetus
Bret Easton Ellis' comment is quietly true. It is also true, however, in most cases of dressing and dress, that what you wear directly influences the way you feel. As a nation of consumers, we adhere to buying to make us happier. Of course only in the short term. Wearing a new item of clothing can make us feel great. Though maybe we do still 'feel like shit'.
In contrast, the controversial statement made by Haslett, is not necessarily correct. People are capable of wearing garments that are expressive of their person rather than actually being their person. Though without them, what would we be? The ideals of some shallow human beings, means they latch onto fashion like a leech. Their whole life, personality and way of being is determined by a new pair of shoes or a new dress that are/is "on trend" this season. It becomes an obsession. These trend followers [followers of the fashion], really do, on the surface at least, become of no more value than the clothes they wear. In this way clothing has become a fashion, a notion and an ideal. This follows Easton Ellis' statement that holds the idea that without dress and dressing, we would be a miserable nation. We need the new, the fashion, the trend, despite whether we adhere to or parody it. This constant flitting and moving between fashions creates an elation we seem to only get from the new.
Epictetus creates an interesting talking point, which on the first reading appears infallible. Yet do we really know who we are without the clothing we choose to wear? Garments and fashion help us create the image we want to portray. Surely without them our personality and sense of person cannot be shown to others, which we all ultimately crave. Those who state they 'couldn't care less', in my mind are either in denial, do not want to adhere to social and cultural ideals, which will theoretically determine their dress regardless, or have not been exposed to the outside world. People who feel they are exempt from the ideals of fashion still show in their clothing they represent this. This is still a trend. A trend of non-trends, anti-fashion if you will.
