Clothing As Window to the Soul

Individuals’ interaction with the external world is almost always influenced by their clothing, whether through personal choice, their “habitus”, dress codes, etc., through shaping how other view/interact with them, influencing their understanding of their identity, and conversely of influencing how others view them though how they dress. As a result of this, different clothing styles can evoke different connotations based on the viewers assumption of the ideals of the groups or contexts that the wearer’s clothing connects them to, such as formal office dress and LGBTQ+ fashions, whether by choice or by pressure. Also, through dress individuals can internalize these ideals of the group, to influence their view of themselves, and in turn how they interact with the outside world. Furthermore, clothing can also highlight a person’s individuality through failure to conform, evoking a different individual-world interaction. Regardless, an individual’s desire to express themselves and externalize the internal can lead to clothing construction or altering to better represent themselves, and/or their relationship to a group.