Caring about clothes can sometimes be seen as frivolous and superficial. And yet, when it comes to other forms of self-expression, such as painting, writing or dancing, it’s readily accepted that the more you care, the more likely you are to fall into a path of personal exploration. So what is it about dressing the body—another form of self-expression—that makes it different?
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that fashion is often pigeonholed as fashion magazines and consumerism—which it can be—but it can also be a lot more nuanced. For some, fashion can be an extension of the self, or a way to (re)invent yourself. A style of dress can be a visual manifestation of where one stands, colored by history, culture, emotions and politics. Or it can be an attempt to create a state where the gap between one’s body and one’s inner life feels the smallest. On other end of the spectrum, it can simply be seen as a social norm – in Western society, one is forced to cover the body to a certain extent. Despite how you approach the ritual of getting dressed, it’s an inescapable part of our lives.