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Part One Clothes and Fashion
The regular clothing of many people can
be considered a type of psychological uniform,
because they tend to dress similarly. Look around
at your classmates. Are most of them dressed in
the same general kinds of pants or skirts, shirts,
sweaters, and shoes? People who are close in
age and share similar interests often dress like
each other. By doing so, they gain confi dence,
acceptance, and psychological approval. They
feel comfortable and secure. Such rules of dress
are not formally written, but understood.
Many adults also dress like their peers. Men
in a particular group might all wear dark suits
and ties to work. To casual gatherings, they may
all wear jeans and sweaters. This conformity,
or unoffi cial uniform, makes them feel secure
about being appropriately dressed.
Identifi cation can also be accomplished with
emblems, colors, badges, patches, and specifi c
pieces of jewelry. Some students wear their
class rings. Members of religious groups might
wear stars, crosses, or other religious symbols.
This identifi cation gives the wearers a feeling
of unity with others in the group. Athletic
uniforms, nuns’ habits, and nurses’ outfi ts tell
the world about those people’s special identities.
Scottish Highlanders wear particular tartan
plaids to show they belong to certain clans.
Ceremonial garments can provide identi-
fi cation. The caps and gowns worn by students
indicate they are graduating. A white gown and
veil indicates a woman is a bride, as in 1-9.
Some ceremonies involve the use of elaborate
robes, prayer shawls, christening gowns, and
other unique garments.
Many businesses and schools have dress
codes. Dress codes are written or unwritten rules
of what should and should not be worn by a
group of people. Although the garments worn are
not uniforms, they must fall within a certain range
of options. Besides achieving group identity,
the clothes help the group members maintain
a certain standard of behavior. Sometimes this
comes from the symbolic meaning of the clothing.
At other times, it is because of how the clothes
look or feel. For instance, a business suit helps a
person to act in a businesslike manner.
Modesty
Human beings wear clothing to satisfy their
social need for modesty. Modesty is the covering
of a person’s body according to the code of
1-8
These uniforms identify the wearers as cheerleaders
for a particular school or team.
1-9
A wedding gown clearly identifi es the woman wearing
it as a bride.
Perry Ellis Formalwear