Good Dressing

I saw this post on my Facebook timeline today. First I wrote the following piece as a comment, then decided to make it a post of my own, and finally decided to shift it here.

 

Somehow, most of the very dressing items used by 'fashion conscious people' (I used 'people' instead of 'women' to make it gender neutral) are uncomfortable (like the one in this post), inconvenient (like extra long gowns and super-short skirts), inefficient (e.g. with metres of clothing dragging on the floor sweeping dust while doing little to cover the body), unreliable (e.g. leading to wardrobe malfunctions), painful (e.g. stilettos, waxing, piercing, tattoos) and even harmful (chemicals, procedures). Somehow, discussions on these have become a taboo. One reason is because whenever a person who doesn't use such things makes a comment on this (a man or a 'old-fashioned' aunty), the issue gets quickly confused with 'freedom of dressing as one likes' issue. And they won't stop until they beat the question to 'whether you think short skirts lead to rapes' or 'whether you mean that girls invite rape by dressing'. This is because that's their favourite topic, and they know that it's become so well-accepted to be abusive in such topics that they will definitely win the debate.

Also there is this whole 'expression of myself' thingie which gets over-used without much understanding of what it means. In fact, 'expression of oneself', is a catchphrase tossed by the fashion corporates for gullible people to grab, so that they keep buying their stuff imagining it to be some sort of expression. How about really thinking if you have something to express? In the slim probability that you indeed have something, how about giving other traditional modes of expressions a chance: write a poem, story, novel, essay, play; act; sing; cook something; dance; draw a picture; invent something; give a speech. Basically do something yourself. Tell me: how can a commodity, idea or design purchased off-the-shelf with money be your expression?

To me, functional dressing which is comfortable, doesn't impede movement, doesn't make you sore, doesn't make you conscious about which part of your body can be seen without your 'consent', which doesn't require a regular splurging of money at the beauty parlour and is environment friendly, is the best kind of dressing.

In saying the above, I am just exercising my right to express my opinion about what good dressing is, not telling you what you are allowed or supposed to wear. So, please don't come lashing back propping up your abusiveness as intellectual sarcasm. I will not take that bait. Nor am I afraid enough (yet) not to say what I think is reasonable.

Wish you a Happy New Year!