From: cjp8b@dayhoff.med.Virginia.EDU (Chris Penington)
Subject: Clothes and conformity (was Re: What is attractive to women?)
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 01:49:45 GMT


In article <1992Nov18.231208.17138@fid.morgan.com> Seth wrote:
>In article <1992Nov18.051430.11930@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
>I wrote:
>>In article <5745@jptcs.COM> tps@jptcs.com writes:
>>>Sandra Loosemore (loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu) wrote:
>>>: a dress, and I wouldn't be caught dead in high heels either.
>>>               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>>Now THAT'S a shame! :(
>>
>>Huh? High heels are the female equivalent of ties on men: pointless,
>                                                           ^^^^^^^^^
>High heels are more likely to have points than almost any other
>article of clothing.

This is just semantics, but OK! :)

>>uncomfortable adornment,
>
>Do you consider all adornment pointless?

Most, not all (although I can see we might end up having a discussion
of what constitutes "adornment") . Like every other human being I've
ever met I suffer from self-contradictions, inconsistencies and
idiosyncrasies, and I can also see some situations in which some sort
of personal "adornment" might serve a practical function. But for the
most part I don't see any point to make-up, jewellery, fancy hair
styles and flashy (expensive) clothes. I also find a lot of
architectural "adornments" quite pointless!

>>There's been a lot of talk about non-conformists. Me, I wear what I
>>feel comfortable wearing in the particular situation:
>
>Most conformists would say exactly that.  They just happen to feel
>comfortable wearing something similar to what other people are
>wearing, so that they don't stand out because of their clothing.

I *did* make the comment that a majority of the people here at UVa
(including myself) wear jeans. I also posed the question that this
could be considered either pragmatic or conformist. Personally I've
never been particularly "fashionable" or "fashion conscious". I'd
rather spend my money on travel or on books and music than on clothes.

*Personally* I find conspicuous consumption and self adornment rather
narcissistic (At a university where a large percentage of the student
body attend football matches dressed in either blazer and tie (for the
men) or Laura Ashley dresses (for the women) this makes me rather a
square peg in a round hole.). I acknowledge the fact that there are
some circumstances in which appearance makes a big difference to how
your message is received. In professions where you interact with the
public how you look can make a big difference to people's perceptions
of your professionalism amd competence. I'm sure the same is true in
many corporate cultures. 

I *did* buy a blazer to wear when interviewing and giving seminars if
it seemed that the situation demanded it. I've given five seminars and
had three job interviews since I bought the blazer. I haven't worn it
yet (and I have had three job offers!).

	Chris
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