Part One: Rules for Taste?

In an effort to organize my thoughts, I will undertake a series of posts in which I explain why I like what I like. There may or may not be a climax or discernable theme, but hopefully by dividing my thoughts into parts I will be a little more comprehensible. Regardless, I cannot be less sensible than most television series, and masses of people waste their lives in front of those screens - perhaps a handful will choose to tickle their craniums here.

First, On Being Sexy.

I have been thinking about everything that is tied up in the word "sexy." Today, aloofness and ability to intimidate is associated with being sexy. I see this obsession with being sexy everywhere I go, but I'm not sure what purpose it serves, other than eyefood for men and women on the street.

The most obvious theory would be that the strength and power afforded those with status as "sexy beasts" is exhilirating. Perhaps there is a bias that only the sexy members of society are truly sophisticated. But sophistication is associated with being elite, and to be part of the elite, one must peer from the eaves of society with a cold expression of indifference. I don't think that being powerful is a bad thing, but when power's primary purpose is to disassociate the powerful from the rest of humanity, power can only serve to splinter communities and intimidate the powerless. This, I believe, is a bad thing. Achieving "class" without claiming superiority over other people is very difficult, although I would not claim that it is impossible. For example:

Skyy Vodka

Immediately, these keywords come to mind: wealth, pleasure, suntanning lotion, perfect blue skies, sunglasses and manicures, men's suits, shine, leisure, drinking, sex.

Nothing is wrong with any of those things when they're enjoyed in the appropriate contexts, but this picture is a world of exclusion, where nothing else is allowed in, not to mention that the relationship between the man and woman is very clear - there is no sense of trust, child-like wonder, knowing love, or anything that could allow for imperfection or human frailty. The man overcomes the woman, while she coldly glances up at him. They inhabit a harsh, unkind, gated community, and all of this is evident merely based on the way they have chosen to carry themselves and dress themselves.

Now, it is easy to point out wrong ways of structuring society, but it isn't easy to define what would be better. So, I will try to limit my criticism and advice to the way we dress. I will try to articulate why I like clothes that do not put sophistication as their first goal, but I will most likely fail to discover any absolute rules for dressing. Here are some Not Quite Rules for Dressing.

a. Choose outfits according to context and relationship. e.g. In the West, you do not wear white to a wedding, because, traditionally, the colour is reserved for the bride or her wedding party. As a witness to a ceremony that holds meaning for the bride and her surrounding community, to violate the order of a wedding would be to destroy the story that conventions seek to build around a marriage ceremony. Yes, traditions tell stories, and a wedding is a tradition. Without being part of a tradition, the purpose of a wedding is lost, which is why so few people bother to get married. It is no longer a story within a story - it's merely a fun thing to do. Unfortunately, along with the erosion of tradition, manners, and the order of society, civilization crumbles. And it isn't called a cradle for nothing. Humanity without civilization is like a baby without a bed.

b. Be aware that clothes tell a story. They say a lot about your background, whether it is one you chose for yourself or one you were given. They explain your relationship to the people you wear the clothing around. They often connect you to a subculture or a tradition or a style, which people assume means you are somehow connected to the people or the values of that subculture, tradition, or style. Choose carefully, because you are a member of society, if not in prison or a cave, and other people like to jump to conclusions about you.

Hiroji Kubota

c. Be imaginative. You are not a carbon copy of Paris Hilton, even if you wish you were, so use your imagination and do something that might relieve people on the street from the boredom of routine. All rules are only there to give you something to work with - as with being given a piece of paper, or a piece of land, what you make of the basics is the exciting part. There are so many ways to express and communicate through your clothing, whether you celebrate, mourn, flirt, dream, or work.

Michal Chelbin

I will try to use these rules to evaluate clothes, in a series of posts, so that I can test their relevance. If you, dear reader, have your own ideas about rules for dressing, please share them.