Chapter 1 The Why of Clothes
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boredom. It adds psychological zest to life. A
business person who wears dark suits all week
might choose a bright outfi t for a fun event on
the weekend or on vacation, as in 1-7.
Identifi cation
Identifi cation is the process of establishing
or describing who someone is or what someone
does. Clothing can identify employees of
restaurants, hotels, hospitals, or stores, and
people of many other professions.
Group identity is shown when group
members dress alike. Clothing can satisfy the
psychological need to belong to a group, such
as a profession, a social group, an association,
or a country of heritage. It indicates the roles
people play or their skills. It signals who they
are and what they do.
Uniforms are one way of identifying roles,
as in 1-8. Uniforms are outfi ts or articles of
clothing that are alike and specifi c to everyone in
a certain group of people. They act as symbols of
group identity. Besides giving a sense of belonging,
uniforms can indicate positions of authority and
the images companies want to project. People
who provide protection to the public, such as
police offi cers, need easily recognized uniforms
in order to carry out their duties. Uniforms prove
that someone really is a mail carrier, a military
offi cer of a particular rank, a football referee, a
fl ight attendant, or a member of the clergy.
Uniforms can decrease racial, religious, and
other perceived barriers. Some schools require
students to wear uniforms so individual differences
and tensions are minimized. Identifying with that
school can then shift students’ focus to academics.
Uniforms give a unifi ed appearance or public
image among those in a particular group.
1-6
Traditional apparel used for body adornment in parts of
Africa is somewhat different from most American fashions.
© Lilly Pulitzer
1-7
By adorning themselves in ways that are different from
their everyday attire, people can receive a psychological lift.