Creating A Meaning

5 Jun

Written By Syed

I have always admired those people, for whom clothing is not used to create their identity, but rather their clothing is used to display it as a true extension of their self. We are encouraged to buy into the latest trend in an attempt to create the comforting yet fleeting sense of belonging and conforming to the fickle general ideals of mainstream fashion aesthetic. However, at the same time, there are some people, who stand out, for they seem to really own those trends and make it a reflection of themselves, rather than simply a reflection of the catwalk.

I believe that clothing only ever gains a real meaning once it is worn, otherwise it is merely a piece of potentially functional art. Given the advancements of mass production, it would be an understandable situation, were two different people to wear exactly the same garment at the same time. However just because they may wear the same garment, or to take the example the full way, the exact same outfit, it does not mean that we perceive the two people as having the same identity in that look. They give the clothing a unique meaning, not simply through the individuality of their bodies, but also through their experiences, lives and indeed, most importantly, through what the clothing means to them and what they make it to mean.

I may give an outfit a specific meaning when I wear it, but more important is what meaning that clothing has to me. I make the garment what it is not simply by virtue of wearing it, but rather the garment comes to reflect me as an individual. I think the easiest way of explaining what I mean is through the example idea of being sexy.

Wearing an outfit that is sexy, is not the same as wearing an outfit that makes one feel sexy. It is how one relates to the clothing that is important. If a woman wears revealing clothing that is deemed sexy, but is not comfortable within it, she will not come across as confident and sexy. However if a woman feels confident and feels sexy in an outfit, whether it be a figure hugging red dress or a burlap rag, that outfit will become sexy by virtue it being a reflection of her.

I often look towards the elderly as a way of learning what true style is. It may be a cliched phrase, however in this case it is wholly appropriate - they wear their clothing, their clothing does not wear them. I find that the fact that their garments are almost dichotomously opposed to the cheap throwaway trend pieces we of the younger generation are encouraged to buy, allows their clothing to have far more character, yet also reflect their identity. They truly make their clothing their own. Whilst some may attribute this through the simple process of wearing clothing for so long it becomes almost another layer of skin, I would be inclined to say that it is because they truly understand their own identity, find the true meaning in their clothing, and allow it to reflect who they are as a person.

I thought I would post a few images from the LIFE archive in order to help illustrate the rather elusive concept I am hopefully describing. Although I do not believe that one merely needs to have well worn clothing, with holes and patches, in order to have an outfit that reflects oneself, I believe it is the confidence and understanding of self that allows those in the photographs to appear as stylish as they do.

The majority of us are fortunately in a position where we are able to buy clothing, not as a rare luxury, but as a relatively frequent indulgence. I think that one of the most important things to learn, is how not to let those pieces define us or create an illusion around us, but rather to truly make our clothing a reflection of ourselves.

Of course, clothing that has a story to tell will always have an appeal to me regardless of whether it is my own or another's, and indeed I find that to be one of the major allures of vintage clothing to the younger generation. There is a sense of history, identity and meaning to the clothing, that oddly lingers on regardless of the fact that the pieces no longer have an owner to claim them. I feel that identity and clothing, when removed from having someone to wear it, is an interesting topic also, unfortunately it is tangent for another day and another post.

via The Cobra Snake

I was recently browsing The Cobra Snake, when I came across photographs of this young gentleman. I feel that this may help to explain the point I have been trying to make somewhat more easily. Whilst I do not know whether the clothing and accessories the gent is wearing are his own, or second hand pieces, I do not believe it really matters. What matters is that he appears comfortable within it, and it feels to be a true reflection of himself. I feel that were his pieces to have a personal story attached to their development it would help in creating a more truer reflection of himself. Whilst his outfit may not be fashionable, I find it to be stylish.

The two elements which I were particularly drawn to were his accessories and his jeans. Lately I have begun to wear more wristwear than I used to, of which all the pieces have a specific meaning and significance to me. Although I dislike the idea of men wearing a large number of wristwear pieces on certain outfits, I do find that if they truly have meaning, it becomes more than a fashion based decision, but rather a personal one.

I have been on the hunt for two things when it comes to denim jeans. The first is that I wish to invest in a pair of high quality raw denim jeans. I already own a pair of raw jeans which I have broken in, faded, and patched when torn, however I would love to make another addition. There is something magical in the process of evolving a pair of raw denim jeans that are truly unique to you - they reflect your life and your body, for they are essentially a blank canvas for the painting of yourself.

The second is that I wish to find a pair of well worn vintage jeans. I am rather specific in the type of fading and fit I would like, but I would be happy to find a pair of jeans which seem to have a powerful story to tell. The jeans pictured below are actually over nine years old. My cousin bought them in a raw state, and wore and frequently washed them over the years. He then passed them down to my brother, who passed them to me. They have been worn hard and they have now reached the colour and condition that they are today. Those jeans have a story to tell, and indeed a different one for the each of us. They also have a separate meaning to each of us, and indeed we gave them a separate meaning.

The power of clothing lies not in they way it makes us look, but rather in the way it makes us feel.