The Devil Wears Personality

I laugh every time someone tells me that I wear my emotions on my sleeve because, in reality, we each express a great deal of our inner selves through what we wear each day. No less than a self-portrait, fashion is a medium of personal expression and a form of art.

Each morning we each must decide how we are going to present ourselves to the world. The outer shell of our persona, our clothing, accessories and makeup can create the first and most lasting impression of who we are. Whether we are going to class, an internship, an interview, a job, a bar or even lunch with friends, our attire expresses more than a desire to keep warm or covered. We are communicating ourselves via the clothing that defines who we are. Our outfits may very well speak before we even say a word.

Just how our moods change, our outfits change so that they may represent and help fulfill our different selves. The outfits that we wear to frat parties and the outfits that we wear to make presentations are different and help us fill the roles and goals that we are pursuing. Wearing a mini skirt and a low-cut tank top to an interview would obviously give the interviewer the wrong impression.

In any social situation, we are able to analyze those we are interacting with before we connect with them. A particular outfit may give the viewer insight into the culture, socioeconomic status, morals, political views, geographical origin or priorities of the wearer. The viewer may then be more prepared to interact with that person because of their initial assumptions based on the appearance of that person.

Beyond representing ourselves, fashion is truly a fine art. Many of the dresses and other items that are worn on the runway are not necessarily meant to be sold in stores and worn by people everyday. The runway is a stage on which models perform the scripts created by the designers. The clothing we see and wear is the culmination of a great deal of laboring, editing and recreating. Additionally, the task that the consumer has is to buy a variety of items and assemble them into a congruent outfit; this is a definite art form. It takes creativity and an eye for fashion to be able to compile distinctive and attractive outfits.

Just as there is beauty in a sculpture or painting, there is beauty in the formation of articles of clothing, accessories, outfits and wardrobes. New fashions are created, and old concepts are reused and modified. Fashion isn’t just clothing; it is a science with more profound implications. It takes a true aptitude to be able to put together a coordinating outfit that can defy disparagement. Designers and fashionistas achieve small triumphs daily in their creations and outfits.

Sports are not merely physical activities performed by meatheads; they are appreciated by people around the world as major physical accomplishments. Raw human beauty is found in the crossing of a marathon finish line or in the completion of a complicated basketball play. Fashion, like sports, is the attainment of this human beauty. Something as simple as running or wearing a bag is elevated into a marathon or a trend setting icon.

Both fashion and sports serve as tangible forms of art that people can enjoy and use to define themselves. Both can also serve as a release from the rigors and stresses of the real world. A bad day may be resolved by a trip to the mall or the gym.

Fashion is an essential part of the society in which we live. We cannot forget that we are much more than simply the primer lying beneath the skinny jeans and gigantic sunglasses. We are each unique individuals expressing who we are through what we wear.