An Influential Aspect of Society

FASHION TODAY:

Alanna McGuiggan | Expository Writing 201 | Professor Gonso

fashion today

Though many people believe fashion is a

superficial, unnecessary aspect of life, it is an

incredibly influential component of society

today.

In diverse areas such as politics, the Olympics

and business, fashion is a powerful force that

has the ability to alter the beliefs and

perceptions of others.

Fashion is also a common element of

charitable endeavors. Consumers love to

advertise their favorite causes through

apparel, and clothing donations can also help

those in need attain the minimum essentials

necessary for survival.

Overall, fashion is far more important than

many people realize. The way that you present

yourself can affect how you are perceived by

others, whether you are a politician, an

athlete or a young college graduate

looking for a job.

table of contents

History of Fashion

Presidential Election

Cultural Identity

Fashion Charities

Corporate Fashion

Sources

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in the past...

Throughout the twentieth century, fashion was an incredibly influential

aspect of life. Clothing largely established the stereotypical gender roles

of this time period, ensuring the traditional homemaker status of females.

During the 1900s, fashion was a symbol of social

status in an incredibly class-conscious society.

Wardrobes of the early twentieth century emphasized

womanly features of the body such as the bust, hips

and waist, largely reflecting females‟ conventional role

in society as homemakers and wives.

The 1920s was a decade during which feminine fashions

symbolized females‟ newfound desire for freedom from

their traditional roles in society.

Clothing included bobbed hair, loose-fitting dresses with

short skirts, rolled stockings, beaded necklaces and

slouchy hats with brims.

During the 1980s, wealth and power were symbolized through female

fashions as the Reagan years brought prosperity to many Americans. Women

wore fur coats, expensive jewelry and silk blouses to symbolize their success.

Wide, sculptural belts worn at small waistlines as well as narrow, short skirts

provided contrast for the strong shoulders and newly fitted silhouette of this

decade.

today... Today, the rigid gender discrepancies in the fashion industry have largely

disappeared. Females of the twenty-first century can be seen in masculine

blazers, boyfriend jeans and loafers, which is a significant progression

from the strictly feminine fashions of the past.

As shown on both the runway and in the style

choices of celebrities, many modern female fashions

are largely inspired by menswear. Women are free to

choose between feminine and masculine pieces with-

out worrying that their wardrobe choices will lead to

their regression to conventional household roles.

Throughout the twentieth century, fashion was a

way of enforcing gender stereotypes amongst

society. Though the role of fashion has changed

today, clothing remains highly influential.

Fashion‟s modern importance is showcased

through a variety of current events and world

issues. For example, politics, sporting events and

charitable endeavors all prove that fashion

remains important today.

“I can‟t imagine marginalizing image;

it‟s critical. The clothes we wear send a

message about how we want to be

perceived, and how we want to present

ourselves to the world. I would think

that there should be just as many image

consultants involved in these campaigns

as there are speechwriters.”

- Tim Gunn

(of Project Runway & Parsons School of Design)

As a female,

Clinton’s

appearance

garnered far

more

coverage in

the media

than other

presidential candidates. After

her face had a dewy, wrinkle-

free complexion at a debate,

anti-Clinton reporters and

bloggers quickly claimed that

she must have had Botox

injections. After another

debate, MSNBC host Chris

Matthews praised Clinton for

her “demure, ladylike”

demeanor, comparing her to

Grace Kelly. The constant

focus on Hillary Clinton’s

appearance throughout the

most recent Presidential Race

proves that fashion certainly

does impact perceptions, even

in irrelevant areas such as

politics.

“With such weighty issues at

hand, instead we‟re focusing on

whether her blouse is too low-cut

or her hair is styled properly?”

- Katherine Spillar,

Ms. Magazine Editor

Instead of wearing the

suit-and-tie combination

typical of presidential

candidates, Edwards

announced his

candidacy in jeans and a

work shirt.

"Half the time he's not even in a jacket. The fact he's

confident enough not to need to be in a perfect suit is

very interesting."

- Wendell Brown,

Esquire Senior Fashion Editor

Romney’s traditional grooming

and suits mirrored his corporate

credentials and conservative

political philosophy .

“It goes beyond attire, it [signals] that he's

ready to bring the same approach he had in

business to promoting change and

innovation to Washington.”

- Alex Burgos,

Romney Campaign Spokesman

Praised for his style in GQ, Esquire and Vibe, Barack Obama is

known to break the rules of political fashion. On Jon Stewart’s

Daily Show, Obama appeared without a tie, which is an

unconventional style for a presidential candidate. Obama also

appeared on David Letterman’s show, where instead of sporting the

traditional navy suit, he wore a black suit with a blue tie. In

response to his attire, Letterman noted that it was a “tremendous,

very electable suit.” Obama’s unique style was praised during his

campaign, and mirrored his reputation as a candidate of change.

“He looks like he cares about his appearance and has a good tailor.

His suits fit him correctly.”

- Wendell Brown,

Esquire Senior Fashion Editor

As the youngest first lady in recent history, Michelle Obama’s

youthful approach to fashion has made her an icon amongst

American women. According to professionals, Michelle Obama

has the power to make the American fashion industry popular

through her wardrobe choices. By mixing designer labels with

off-the-rack pieces, Michelle has influenced the style of the

typical American woman.

“She could potentially do what Jackie Kennedy did, bring about

a new awareness and a fresh outlook, just by not being so

intentionally „first lady,‟ by mixing designer things with off the

rack. She can give a big boost to the American fashion industry

— and we need all the help we can get.”

- Anna Sui,

Fashion Designer

"Michelle Obama connects to the modern woman. She has a real

woman look to her but is even bigger and better. She has a sleek

style that's not overdone. ... She's beautifully dressed without too

much fuss. She puts on the dress and goes — and it's always a

good dress."

- Amy Fine Collins,

Vanity Fair Correspondent

One strong example of fashion being a part of

one‟s identity is shown in the Muslim faith,

which requires females to dress modestly. Asra

Nomani, author of “Standing Alone in Mecca:

An American Woman‟s Struggle for the Soul of

Islam,” noted that for Muslim females, getting

dressed is a “really intentional, mindful event in

our lives every day.” Nomani noted that what a

Muslim woman wears is “a critical part of her

identity.”

Muslim women are encouraged to wear a hijab,

which is a head covering that has been the

subject of much controversy. Some view the

hijab as a politically charged symbol of radical

Islam and of female subjugation. The Council on

American-Islamic Relations conducted a survey

last year that showed that almost half of

Americans think Islam encourages the

oppression of women. Aysha Hussain, a 24-year-

old Muslim journalist living in New York, noted

that “Many of these people think, „Oh, if a

woman is covered, she must be oppressed.‟”

Aysha Hussain, like many Muslims, has made a

point to wear the hijab after September 11th .

She noted, “Politically, it lets people know

you‟re not trying to hide from them.” Astra

Nomani furthered her statement, saying that

there is a pressure to show your faith among

young Muslims. Fusing modern and Muslim

apparel, Nomani noted, is youth‟s way of saying

“‟I‟m Muslim and I‟m proud.‟”

olympics

As a monunmental event watched on worldwide stage, the Olympics inspire

strong national pride amongst both competitors and viewers. Since the

beginning of the Olympics, fashion has been an intricate component of the

cultural element of the games.

The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics is one of the most celebrated

portions of this event, with each country represented in matching uniforms.

The fashions of this event prove that clothing can in fact influence one‟s

identity, as shown through the wardrobe selections of the most recent

Olympic Games.

As shown in Vancouver, the national uniforms of the Opening Ceremony

frequently represent the stereotypes and symbols of a country. Athletes from

Bermuda, for instance, donned knee-length “Bermuda” shorts at the event.

French athletes wore berets, the British dressed in preppy apparel, and the

American outfit was inspired by the classic attire of 1950s East Coast

America.

The diverse apparel of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics proves that

fashion choices can result in cultural associations which shape one‟s identity.

By associating themselves with previously formulated stereotypes,

Olympians proved that fashion can in fact influence exterior perceptions.

From left: Bermuda Shorts, Classic American Style and British Preppy at the Vancouver Olympic Games

TOMS Shoes was founded in Venice, California in

2006 with the vision that for every pair of shoes

purchased by a consumer, another pair would be

donated to a child in need. TOMS thus combined a

profitable fashion brand with a humanitarian cause;

consumers enjoy a visible sense of goodwill as a

result of their purchase, and a child in need benefits

from the company with a free pair of shoes.

In only four years, TOMS has donated over 600,000

pairs of shoes to children in need. In addition, TOMS

has made a promise to give 100,000 pairs of shoes to

children in Haiti.

An initiative started by Bobby Shriver of DATA and

Bono of U2, Product Red is a brand licensed to a variety

of companies with a mission of raising money for the

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Fashionable partner companies such as Gap, Converse

and Emporio Armani are all licensed to create products

with the Product Red logo. These companies donate a

portion of proceeds from their Product Red products to

the Global Fund. Consumers love this brand, as a variety

of the Product Red items can be seen on people from all

walks of life. Product Red is thus another example of

how fashion can influence our world today; in this case,

by helping to end several deadly diseases.

Fashion Delivers Charitable Foundation, Inc. was founded in

2005 with the mission of mobilizing the women‟s and men‟s

apparel industries to aid victims of disasters around the

world. Since its founding, Fashion Delivers has donated over

fifty five million dollars in product to those in need. Fashion

Delivers has helped victims of disasters such as Hurricane

Katrina, Hurricane Rita, the California wildfires and the

earthquake in Haiti. Fashion Delivers has been supported by

a variety of well-known companies, including Forever21,

Polo Ralph Lauren, Free People (Urban Outfitters), Macy‟s,

Converse, American Apparel and Armani Exchange.

Launched in the United Kingdom in 1996, Fashion

Targets Breast Cancer was launched an organization

called Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Best known for its

target logo tee shirt designed by Ralph Lauren, this

campaign has raised almost ten million pounds for

Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Fashion Targets Breast

Cancer is now the United Kingdom‟s most prominent

charitable fashion campaign, and is supported by the

entire British fashion industry.

These four charities are only a sampling of the positive contributions the fashion

industry makes to the well-being of others, but they prove that fashion does in fact

have a positive influence on society. Consumers love to purchase apparel that will

raise awareness for their favorite causes and thus entice others to donate to charities.

“Frankly, in an interview you are on your best

behavior and I‟m on my best behavior, so everyone has to

look good. f you can‟t get it together in an

interview then I‟m not sure you‟re going to have

appropriate judgment with a client.”

- Patty Bigruglio,

MMI Associates President

"In our economic times, you really want to have your

game on. You can't be too formal.”

- Gretchen Neels, Boston Communications Consultant

"We focus so much on gaining that elusive informational edge on our

jobs that we tend to forget that our appearance can help put us

over the edge of that promotion, job offer, etc.” - Diana Sonis, New York Hedge Fund Worker

Clothes & Accessories are Powerful Symbols in the Workplace...

One unmarried hedge fund employee wore a

fake engagement ring to seem more mature

and less available to male employees.

Another female employee said her

engagement ring has strengthened her

professional relationships with colleagues of

the opposite gender.

“People who dress

better are typically

treated better at

work. They are

usually given more

responsibility and are

shown much more

respect." - David McKnight

New York City-based

Image Consultant

sources

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

CULTURAL IDENTITY

FASHION CHARITIES

CORPORATE FASHION

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http://www.newsweek.com/id/108013/page/3

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slideshow_17.html

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statements-in-the-2010-olympic-games&catid=28:life-a-style&Itemid=80

http://www.webdesigncool.com/the-winter-olympics-uniforms-for-god-country-fashion-and-

sport

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/

fashion/05MUSLIM.html&OQ=_rQ3D2&OP=69bc4042Q2FW5Q60)

WmhbjahhQ20Q51WQ51uu@WukWu4WqQ24jyZh6Wu4nLQ3DQ5ERnAyQ201c

http://www.joinred.com/

http://www.fashiondelivers.org/

www.toms.com

www.fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-the_rules_of_workplace_style-535

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19806512/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123380523253950975.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123863590242781251.html

HISTORY OF FASHION

http://www.costumegallery.com/research.htm