You are what you wear

By KIMBERLY RAPPORT

Pierced tongues, Diesel jeans and the infamous Abercrombie and Fitch garb are everywhere. Every year, fashion designers come up with new fads like these to introduce to our mainstream commercialized culture. Some Santa Clara students are not only victims of these savvy advertisements, but they also carry the heavy burden that comes along with fashion: stereotyping.

ÒAll of my clothes are fairly form fitting so some people think IÕm gay because of the way I dress,Ó junior Jerrus Roxas said. ÒI donÕt think people should make any judgments until they actually meet the person inside and out.Ó

Although most people do not like to admit they stereotype others, a personÕs opinion is formed within the first minute they meet someone. Many times one already has a certain perception of someone else before any words are spoken. While appearance is the mitigating factor when judging a person, clothing plays a significant role regarding the way a person looks. The question is whether or not these conclusions are accurate.

ÒA lot of times people think they can tell what a personÕs personality is like by how they dress, but most of the time theyÕre wrong,Ó sophomore MaryAnne McHugh said.

Despite that impressions may not always be factual, fashion stereotyping still exists on campus.ÒPeople tend to think that IÕm high maintenance because of how I dress; a little snobby and superficial too,Ó McHugh said.

Individual stereotyping is not the only kind of typecast that is present on campus. Santa Clara students are known for being walking advertisements for Abercrombie and Fitch. Ironically, representatives for Abercrombie and Fitch have been on campus, recruiting students for the Hillsdale store. Senior Sarah Hamilton worked at that store and was recruited by one of the store managers.

Some students agree that our campus consists of many conformists, while others relish in their own individuality.

ÒAround here people tend to dress so much alike that you really canÕt tell anything about them by looking at their clothes,Ó junior Rosemary Halas said. ÒOn the other hand, if you see somebody who dresses really differently, you can get a sense that theyÕre probably very confident or an independent thinker.Ó

Sophomore Erin McCallum agrees that people on campus dress similarly. ÒYou notice anyone that looks different at Santa Clara right away,Ó McCallum said. ÒIt is easy to tell because they stand out.Ó

On the other hand, sophomore Kevon Motamedi does not feel the need to fashionably comply in order to fit in.

ÒItÕs certainly a preppy atmosphere but I feel free to wear whatever I want,Ó Motamedi said. ÒBecause I have a very diverse wardrobe, IÕve been labeled with every different kind of fashion stereotype out there.Ó

A personÕs attire does not always correspond with their persona because fashion is an ambiguous term. If a person often wears black, assumptions about their personality may be drawn; however, they may not be accurate.

According to colormatters.com, the color black can be associated with sanctity (nuns), subservience (maids), mourning (widows) and anti-fashion (punks). This illustrates how difficult it is to be accurate when judging someoneÕs personality based on their sense of style. On the other hand, some students attest that there is a direct correlation between the way they dress and their own personality.

ÒI try to be pulled together but not to out-standish, and thatÕs me Ñ thatÕs my personality,Ó McCallum said.

Along the same lines, Roxas realizes that people tend to draw conclusions about someoneÕs personality based on how they look.

ÒI donÕt want people to think IÕm a sloppy dresser because then it might seem like IÕm a sloppy person at home,Ó Roxas said.

When a person chooses their clothing, they are deciding which persona to reveal to the world. Clothes are like costumes: they allow you to change your character in order to fit the part. John Warriner, a professor in the theater department, confirms that costumes aid in the character development process.

ÒThe costumes help to bring the character alive,Ó Warriner said. ÒYour creative processes are extenuated by the costumes.Ó

Warriner explained that when he plays numerous characters in a single production, the costumes are needed in order to get him from one character to the next. This same concept can be applied to our daily lives. When we are playing the character of a student, employee and friend, our choice of clothing signifies which role we are engaging in.

ÒWhatÕs really great about costumes is that you get to live out the side of your life that you donÕt necessarily live out in your personal life,Ó Warriner said.

Although it isnÕt probable that fashion stereotyping will cease to exist on campus, individuality remains a treasured rarity that needs to be fostered.

ÒItÕs nice to see students that take chances and more risks,Ó Warriner said. ÒIf youÕre a little more daring, youÕre a little less worried about how youÕre being perceived.Ó