For today’s audio advice column I’m taking your questions on the Sociology of… Style (catch up on the related article here). Thanks to everyone who submitted. Here are three that I think you’ll find thought provoking:
James in Richmond asks:
What advice do you give to people who don’t know where to begin curating their image? I have a certain look I’m going for, and I know how important self-presentation is, but beginning to conceptualize of it in more strategic terms is overwhelming.
Nina in Chicago says:
As people age, it’s said that they become increasingly more invisible. And yet, if we don’t take care of ourselves, people REALLY notice and you’re ostracized. I’ve found that, with age, it’s less about “fashion” and more about self-care, basic grooming and attention to not looking unkempt. Is this a superficial approach? Or do we actually show respect to those around us by putting our best selves forward for them? I definitely feel resistance around not wanting to be told how to appear, but I also recognize the benefits of knowing how to use it to my advantage. So I do what I need to do to be taken seriously. Does that make me a sell-out? Or am I just caring for all aspects of my person? When I buy something nice, I take care of it. Shouldn’t we attend equally to our bodies? If I don’t take myself seriously, why should anyone else?
And finally, I respond to a story shared by Greg in Boston:
I’m in the category of academics you mentioned in your article who want to believe only words and actions should matter, so it’s tough for me to cope with what you’re saying — although I think you’re right. I’m a professor and I often wonder what my students think of my appearance. I’m always sure to have my beard groomed and hair cut, but I now wear the same pair of khaki pants every week on the day I teach. I only teach there one day a week, which is how I rationalize (in my mind) doing so. Is this really bad? I wear collared, button-down shirts, and have several of them. Honestly, if I were teaching at a more prestigious school, I’d probably wear more than one pair of pants. I also have a gray pair of pants, but I find them too dressy (which may be a silly objection). The khaki pants just feel and look the best and they fit well (which is hard for me to find; I actually searched multiple states for a replica in another color, but no luck).
It’s worth noting I’ve been prone to acts of aesthetic rebellion in the workplace. When I was teaching at an American university abroad, I started wearing t-shirts inside out to class. My reason for doing so was kind of hard to fathom: I had mistakenly worn a t-shirt inside out, but after being notified, I tried turning it into a fashion statement. And it sort of caught on, as several students started doing the same. But this did not go over well with the administration. This was a stuffy university and students were encouraged to dress up, including ties for boys. I think I was rebelling against that mentality. I ended up having my contract for another year terminated due to rebellions of different kinds, but at that point I had decided I was not returning anyway.
Listen to my responses and let me know what you think in the comments!
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