Assume You're Homeless.

[Chemical]

Alright,

So my uncle plays extra parts in student films and other filming productions for /xxx.gif/xxx.gif/xxx.gif/xxx.gifs and giggles. This past weekend he played the part of a homeless man in a student movie called, surprise-surprise! "Homeless."

During this extravaganza it came to my attention that many people assumed my uncle was in fact homeless. Though of course, I know he is very much not so.

Which brings in a the question at hand.

Wealth, Social Positions and clothing.

Let us engage in a discussion that analyzes the role of fashion in social circles.

Can one's personal fashions determine or influence a person's professional life?

Does clothing reflect class or does class reflect fashion?

And what other interesting connections can be made between clothing, wealth, fashion, class, style?

[The Captain]

I think, sad as it may be, a lot of people do identify what someone looks like and how they dress with their social appearances. So much of what we see in society today is driven by image. We are constantly told that we NEED that big SUV to feel like a real man or we NEED this new outfit if we want to be considered attractive that it's become hardwired into our minds.

In most cases, those with more money will dress in clothing that costs more money, dress in more name brand clothing and in general have a larger variety of clothes because they can afford to buy more.

Yet, some people with a lot of money will spend very little on clothing and save it or spend it elsewhere, so the belief that how you dress reflects who or what you are is in many cases flawed because someone with less money could spend it all on one nice outfit whilst someone with a limitless supply could spend very little on clothes and appear to not be as wealthy as they truly are.


Also of note, oftentimes we will attempt to look our best when going out for the night or going for a job interview because again, sad as it may be, first impressions can sometimes be all we get and we want to try and give the best impression we can.

Though there is a great deal that can be done to combat this knee jerk reaction to someone and perhaps stop the judgments that are put into effect strictly through how someone dresses, it is a process that will take a lot of time, energy and patience from all involved.

Deep down, clothes are just clothes. To me they express a part of who you are but are never the whole picture of who someone truly is. I've found some homeless people or folks who appear to be down on their luck or not have a great deal of money to actually be extremely intelligent, articulate, polished people whilst others of extreme wealth can barely complete a sentence.

It all depends on the person.

Take care all.

[Mr. Graves]

Personally, I don't identify clothes with how someone is so much as grooming abilities, as in some cases they do hand-in-hand, but can be seperate in some cases too. If one keeps himself looking at least somewhat decently, I wouldn't think he was a lowlife or homeless in anyway. I always find grooming to be a good indicator of how someone is, and how much he cares about being of higher class. Or...maybe you were referring to grooming as well as clothes. *not very clear about that*

I basically agree with Captain. People associate wealth with dressing nice and always looking groomed. Although there could be some wealthy people who aren't of that image who just believe in living frugally. So, all in all, I'd say that yes, I think grooming and to a lesser extent clothing is an indicator of style and class in an individual.

[CaptRory]

Perception is everything. We expect people of certain classes and circles to act and dress in certain ways. Example: Two men carry themselves with confidence. They act important. Each movement they make is powerful. Each movement sends the signal "I'm better then you." One man is dressed in a nice suit, the other in tattered clothes. Each man commands respect in his own right, but to be thought of being high class one must look like it. A very observant person can see through a ruse, but most people will only take a glance, and when measuring others, they will wedge them into whatever category seems appropriate at first sight.

How is this applied to life? If you dress successfully, and act confident, you will inspire others to have confidence in you. It's basic human psychology. Notice how different cultures through history have different perceptions and thus different measures of success. Also notice how different roles require different attitudes and attire. People have preconceived notions about technology workers, scientists, construction workers, etc. This, is the basis of acting. It is how a good actor can play a bum in one movie and royalty in another.

To answer your questions:

"Can one's personal fashions determine or influence a person's professional life?" The saying "The clothes make the man." is partly correct, it also takes the ability to act out the role you are trying to become.

"Does clothing reflect class or does class reflect fashion?" Both, clothing reflects the image we have of class, and class designates for itself what is required to look the part.

[Caspian]

I have enough money to wear all polo shirts and khaki shorts, but for whatever reason, I choose not to.

[Yamaneko]

This wouldn't be a problem if society saw the beauty of the human body in all its glory.

[Del Murder]

I am currently wearing Oakland Raiders pants and a Sacramento Kings sweatshirt.

[krissy]

last time i was meeting with a world renowned figure i was wearing jeans and a wife beater

[UltimaLimit]

Jeans rule! Screw the business suits.

(Though I do look good in one, if I do say so myself.) :p

[The Shoeless Hobo]

Who told you I was homeless? :shifty:

[Dr.K]

While I don't like to believe that someone's social status should be dictated by the clothes and jewelry they wear, I think sobconsciously it can affect alot of us, not so we think to ourselves "man, they're looking sharp" but that we may get an inner feeling they are more sophisticated and generally superior. In every case though, this can of course be false, and perhaps more often than not, is. Hard as it is to accept, you really don't know what a person is like until you get to know them - something I've had alot of trouble doing.
I see clothes in general just as an aesthetic addition to the human body. While I think they can add a nice bit of spice to someone's appearance, having an industry dedicated to 'fashion' as such is an insult to third world nations, who are thankful enough just to get their hands on clothes to protect thenselves from the elements. I think turning the clothes you wear into some kind of instruments of power can detach you from the important issues at hand in other regions of the world.

[DMKA]

It'd better be Abecromic & Fitch with faded text across it and cost $150 minimum, or I am sooooo not wearing it.

[KuRt]

at least JBL wears stylish clothes and he says he has class but I dunno fo real ´cos I wear kinda normal clothes and many say i´m stylish

[Caspian]

On second thought, assuming I were homeless, I wouldn't reply to this thread, because I'd be spending money on vodka and whores, not an internet connection.

[The Shoeless Hobo]

Unless you go to the public library and get free internet...

[Chemical]

Yet, some people with a lot of money will spend very little on clothing and save it or spend it elsewhere, so the belief that how you dress reflects who or what you are is in many cases flawed because someone with less money could spend it all on one nice outfit whilst someone with a limitless supply could spend very little on clothes and appear to not be as wealthy as they truly are.


However, if you look at it from a different standpoint. You raised the point of first impressions. If clothing aids in defining first impressions... then even if a poor person is poor and they spend it on nice clothing they will emit the senseb of wealth to others they first meet... Faking wealth... perhaps that can get you a better job? get you real wealth? or get you a rich husband? It demonstrates the wants of this person... so even if they may not have money... money is who they are. Money is what they emit.


I'm a fashion tart.

I love shoes and Clothing. I'm not an accesorizor though... but I have to say. I like to dress in a trendable manner. I like my high heels...

But I vary muchly when it comes to dress wear. I can often be caught in a pair of torrid army pants and a wife beater...

Both these fashion statements emit a sense to others and each time I meet someone with different types of clothing new ideas are trigerred about who we are.

This is a broad statement however... as there are some people who are able to see beyond the clothing.

All in all. I like to be attractive... I like to feel beautiful, and i do spend a pretty penny on maintaining my appearance... but all in all it hasn't helped me at all find a guy that is right for me. In fact, I think the way I dress can terrify some of the guys, make them feel shy or not good enough... or maybe better than.

But should I change the way I look? Nahhhhh.

[Necronopticous]

I like to wear t-shirts that have a clever geeky image, word, or phrase. People think I'm a geek based upon it, so it works out.

I also wear baggy pants because it makes my legs look bigger in proportion to my fat body, which is usually clothed with a dark color shirt to hide shadows and continue to help the illusion that I'm not quite as fat as I really am.

It's loads easier than working out or (god forbid) eating right.

[strawberryman]

I don't care what other people say.

I am what I am, and that's all that I am.