Chapter 1 The Why of Clothes
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decency of that person’s society. Standards of
modesty differ among various cultures and
situations, and they change over time.
In many societies, people would be embar-
rassed to appear without clothes in public.
Modesty dictates the proper way to cover the
body for social acceptance. Standards of decency
are molded by cultures and social systems. Each
society has its own accepted standards of modesty.
In the 1800s, it was considered immodest
for American women to show their ankles.
During the early 1900s, the body was almost
completely covered, even for sports. In the 1920s,
older people were appalled at the short skirts
worn by young women. However, short skirts
soon became acceptable. Ladies’ swimsuits were
once made of thick fabric. They covered most of
the body. Now fashionable swimwear exposes
more skin. See 1-10. The standards of society
about modesty have changed a great deal.
The situation, or event people are attending,
also infl uences modesty. Wearing only a swim-
suit to school or to an offi ce job would not be
appropriate. A man may wear a kilt to play
bagpipes at a traditional Scottish gathering.
However, wearing a kilt anywhere else might
embarrass him. By wearing appropriate or
inappropriate clothing, people show their accep-
tance or rejection of their social environment.
Status
A person’s status is his or her position or
rank compared with that of others. Good or high
status is usually associated with recognition,
prestige, and social acceptance. Clothing is
sometimes used to gain a higher rank in society,
along with achievement and peer approval.
Thus, many people are willing to pay more
for garments with designer labels or popular
logos, as in 1-11.
Adults may try to achieve a higher status
by wearing fur coats, diamond jewelry, or
expensive clothing items. Examples might be a
cashmere sweater or a beaded gown, as in 1-12.
Some items have important social mean-
ings and make the people wearing them feel
important. The items enable individuals to show
others what they have achieved. Service stripes
on a military sleeve, merit badges on a Boy
Scout’s shirt, and a school letter on an athletic
jacket all tend to raise the status of the wearer.
In ancient times, hunters adorned themselves
with the pelts of their prey to impress others
with their achievements.
1-10
Standards of modesty have changed over the years.
Today’s fashionable swimwear is much skimpier than in past eras.
1-11
This man achieves status through both the desirable
trade name of the manufacturer and the revered name of the
football team.
JCPenney