Dressing-Fashion-Aesthetics: Dressing sense is an inscription of the body

Dressing-Fashion-Aesthetics

Fashion is the visual language of a society. A dress is the medium of self-expression.

Since fashion is a visual langauge, dressing triggers emotional response. e.g when you say wow, what a dress, from where did you get it. Wow what a tattoo, so neat and clean, etc.etc.

When emotional transaction takes place on account of dressing/fashion, it gives rise to asethetic values.

Aesthetic value encompasses standardization of fashion trend and individual freedom to asses the sense of dressing.

However, it must be noted that dressing/fashion are not equal to art.

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This is a standard attire of Odishi Dance--- Odishi Dance is a part of Odisha's Art & Culture, this is not fashion, because Art & culture is governed by continuity and not fleeting like fashion.

Art has a dominant trait of continuity whereas fashion is well known as an unsettled phenomenon at any given time. That is why fashion trend is not a static phenomenon, what was being adopted/followed as fashion 20 years ago, has now beome archaic, outmoded.

Furthermore, aesthetics do not have any universality and it could vary based on taste of different communities/societies. But when one aesthetic code comes in contact with another, out of cultural exchange it takes the shape of a new hybrid code.

For example, indo-western suit-- in which it seeks to bring the best of two different culture and produces a new aesthetic code, where it tries to harmonize the tailoring techniques.

Long ago, the unbuttoned kurta like the angarakha with tie up mechanism used to be worn by Indian men. Under this men wore dhotis – another unstitched, unbuttoned piece of clothing. But with the introduction of British fashion, concepts like that of collars, cuffs, cuts, buttons, jackets trousers etc was introduced.

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It is true that social and culture context forms the foundation of fashion trend, but it goes sophisticated with globalization where imported or exported culture gain prominence. Similarly, a particular geography where the extreme weather conditions become an imperative for a particular fashion trend.

In the context of fashion trend, the dressing sense seek to make the body a celebrated identity where it undergoes acknowledgement, appraisal, and acceptance by the people at large.

In aesthetics, human body becomes the subject and the dress becomes the embodiment of fashion.

For example, when you meet some one out of social interaction in a party, function, or office, etc. and after the end of event when you return home and recall the memory of the party, you are not visualizing naked body of the indiviuals, rather fashioned body of the individuals, means the subconscuious mind also recognizes dress as an embodiment of fashion.

Aesthetic standards are established by socio-cultural interaction, expereince, taste, celebrity-hood, temporal & spatial context, and perception.

But, it is the perception which plays a leading role in formulating the configuration of asethetics. However, the stimulation through perception should be informed by quality, that quality must be vetted through experience by the society, to make it a fashion trend.

Dressing Sense

Dressing sense is nothing but sense of self, embodiment of identity. Dressing sense when experienced, it becomes an inscription of the body.

Dressing sense demonstartes beauty of the body, even an average body can be beautified through dresing sense, and gives the outlook of an organized society when it is practized by the people at large. When it does so, it inadvertently becomes a part of culture. However, it must be noted that dressing sense, fashion, etc. are not part of culture, because culture is dominated by continuity where as fashion is fickle and unsettled.

Fashion is no longer a private or societal phenomenon

A dress code in school, unform for Police/military, formal attire in workplace, etc testifies the fact that fashion is longer a private or societal phenomenon, it has already entered into the profession.

But the question is why do we need fashion at workplace or for that matter military/police.

In the case of military/police fashion has a different connotation, the objectve of fashion trend in Military or police is to evoke nationlism, to make it appear with a uniform color and attire, to demonstarte strength, unity, solidarity, etc.

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In the case of workplace, fashion essentially means to look good, or where demonstartion of organized beauty is a a constituent of businesses, for example, Airhostess. Similarly Help Desk, Marketing, etc.

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My perception on Fashion, Dressing sense and aesthetics

India is a country which came in contact with many cultures, and the fusion of culture took place from to time. As a result the fashion trend also underwent corresponding modification/upgradation.

For example, Indo-western suit largely adopted/followed by groom, 3-peice suit is a standard formal dress for Beaureucrates, corporates, etc.

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Dr Jai Skankar ex-IFS officer, current External Affaair Minster and his wife. You can see Dr Jaishankar wearing a suit and his wife Kyoko(a Japanese originally) wearing a Saree(which is an indian attire)

I was raised in village culture. Even in villages, dhotis are no longer the dominant trend of fashion, it has been degenerated into an ornamental vestige, only used during rituals.

I personally feel that what makes you feel comfort, which fits body properly(customization should be followed once purchased), and subject to the season as well, makes it a fashion statement.

Conclusion

Fashion even though fleeting, fickle and unsettled, it expresses the submerged feeling of an individual and will continue to be the visual language for generations. Put simply, its essence does not change with the trend.

This is my participation for the Initiative: March Monthly Prompt

Check out the above post if you are keen to participate in a particular theme of the day.

Thank you.