Type of Clothes

Question 2

Generally it is known that the type of clothes that we wear dictate the type of person that we are. Lunceford (2010) argues that often people wear their clothes “by autopilot and exhibit

a remarkable uniformity in our choices”(pg.1).Furthermore clothing that people wear aren’t necessarily a matter of personal choice but rather  the idea of what one should or should not wear is primarily shaped into people’s thoughts and minds by outside forces( such as mass communication). Firstly, this essay will examine this notion by taking a look at the statement “Gender is performed through fashion trends” and secondly it will argue for the claim that gender-bending fashion trends have the ability to transform traditional patriarchal ideas about what men and women should look like and how they should behave.

Woodward (2000) states that identity is defined as people are like us and people who are different to us (pg 7).Most of our identity results from primary socialization whereby parents internalize certain values and norms associated with their child’s specific gender. From an early stage, parents treat their daughter or son differently with regards to dressing infants in gender specific colours, giving gender differentiated toys, and expecting different behaviour from boys and girls (Thorne, 1993).Additionally, through using toys, activities and objects parents teach their children about gender stereotyping. One of the major stereotypes internalised by parents are the types of clothes a girl or boy should wear (Carter, 1987). Lunceford (2010) argues that “specific styles, colours, fabrics, and articles of clothing” (pg.1) are displayed amongst different genders. The types of clothes that people wear are also associated with concepts such as masculinity and femininity, and androgyny. Johansson (2007) examined this notion by conducting a study to see the thoughts of teenagers on the types of clothes that people wear .Interestingly, he found that most teenagers found that male or female clothing did not look appropriate if worn by the opposite gender. However the article failed to account for the opinions of these teenagers.

However as the world becomes more globalised, fashion as become more androgynous. Lee (2005) defines androgyny as the “combining both masculinity and femininity as traits of a unified gender that defies social roles and psychological attributes” (pg.1).The notion of androgyny is instituted in various forms from the entertainment world to the fashion industry (Lee,2005).As these industries continue to grow ,these industries begin to challenge the traditional patriarchal views of men and women. The argument for androgyny suggests that essentially the types of clothes that people wear do not influence the type of person that we are. Furthermore this notion suggests the all human beings regardless of their gender are born with both sex hormones. Furthermore, the idea of androgyny claims that both genders experience the exact same emotions however men’s and women’s behaviour is regulated through conditioning of different “social norms that vary from culture to culture” (Lee, 2005: 1).Whitworth (2010) argues that the notion of the stereotyped “lumberjack” man is becoming increasingly out-dated as the idea of androgyny provides a means of people to become more liberated, innovative and creative. Furthermore she argues “people are growing  as races and as cultures, it's OK to not care what your gender is as long as you look great in clothes” (Whitworth,2010 :1 ).Essentially, fashion helps to break the boundaries created by culture stereotypes.As Whitworth(2010) states "I think every man should wear a pair of high heels once in his life. We have to know how the other half lives." (pg.1).