Sense for fashion

You are what you eat. Or so we are told. I am sure that in some physical digestive cell replacement manner, I am. However I also think that I am more than the sum total of Quarter Pounders with Cheese, chicken kievs and onion bhajis. In fact to look at me, those may or may not even come to mind. Like most humans, I do not express myself in the food I consume (unless it is a dinner party I've cooked for my friends), but in the clothes I chose to wear.

Clothing has made a major social imprint since Adam and Even donned the first leaf. Through out history the type , styles, colours and fabrics which covered our nakedness have been regulated either by law or social standing. Today what governs your clothing choice is the amount of money you are willing to invest in a single garment or a whole wardrobe.

So far all of this is not earth shatteringly insightful, but basic statements of fact. However, with so many styles and colours available to us, why do we choose what we choose? Why do we stand looking at two seemingly identical pieces of sewn cloth and choose one over the other? Why does the fashion industry spend billions (pick your currency) to make us desire a fashion only to tell us 9 months later we look bad? Is it all economics?

Some if it is. A major portion of the world's employment, hence economies, is tied up in the ready to wear industry. They do need us to keep buying so that those workers, usually poor and ill educated, will have money to support themselves and their families. Yes, there are craftsmen and women in the Haute Couture who are truly artists with fabric, but this type of fashion is far beyond the means of most mortals. The Mexican/Indonesian/Thai/Chinese/Spanish/Indian textile worker is low paid and is often a "piece worker". As long as the product he sews is sold, he stays a step above starvation. This is possibly the best reason for changing your wardrobe completely once a year.

And the rest of those questions? OK, utility can be a factor in my choice. Sometimes I need to replace clothes that are indeed worn out. With all the horses and riding we do, jeans have a life span of about 4-6 months -- providing the children haven't grown too much (HA!). Therefore, do I choose Tesco value at £2.75 to £4 or Levi's 501s for £30 to £50? Both are made in countries that specialise in intensive manual labour that the mass clothing industry requires and aren't Fairtrade. The choice is obvious from a financial viewpoint. I can buy 10 pairs of of Tesco for every 1 pair of Levi's -- unless I am buying to Impress.

Now we come to the crux: "Dress to Impress". Impress WHO? Ourselves? Our Mates? Our Partners? Our Family? Our Boss? Our Secretary? The Public? The Builders? WHO??

Girls as young as 8 are wearing seductive clothes because they "want to look sexy". From the over simulating, over sexual media campaigns, These innocent children have been taught to equate looking nice with sex. Who in their right mind would market lacy bra-like things and transparent tops for children? Yet, they do. Who is type of dressing aiming to Impress? Why are high heeled (2 inch plus heels) available for children whose feet and legs are still soft and growing? We won't let them do en-pointe ballet because it will ruin their feet, but we will let them wear heels for school? Who is this for? It isn't only girls. Boys' shirts, tees, piques, and button front, are covered with images which are mostly violent and rebellious. The fashion is either athletic, military camouflage or slummy. Who is supposed to be impressed by this?

Adults may be thinking that dressing their 8 year olds this way is humorous. The messages on boys tee-shirts warning us of the approaching danger in the form of a toddler or child may bring a wry smile to other parent's faces. However, if this is the messages we give them at 8, when they are very impressionable, is it any surprise that they are over sexed, violent, low esteemed teenagers?

Stop and look at what your kids are wearing! What are you putting them in? Is this a reflection of yourself or how you really want your children to be viewed? Is this how you want your teenage son or daughter? How can we really be taken seriously when we tell them underage sex is wrong, yet dress them in the types of clothes we used to wear to nightclubs? Who are we telling them to Impress and for what reason?

Our own clothes reflect this principle too. I have seen lots of "mutton dressed as lamb", both male and female. Our body image obsessive society bombards us with airbrushed images of "perfection" that if we could only attain, then we would enjoy the wonders of "perfect" hedonistic pleasures. And we, the moronic consumer, must follow what we see. The result is people with dun-lop disease (their belly dun lopped over their belt) parade the streets of our towns and cities wearing crop tops, short tight tee shirts, hipster jeans and Lycra believing they are sexy. Not only is it a fashion offense, they look silly and don't realise it! Then there are the pregnant ones who do the same thing only to show us their unborn's movements and new acquired stretch marks. As one is pregnant, one is therefore sexually active and attractive to someone. The look is not complementary -- even if one is a famous "A-List" star.

Christians have it hard. They would like to be fashionable, yet not look immoral. They are told to be modest and conservative, but that is a hard look to achieve without looking dowdy. Mainstream Christians are often uncomfortable with, and sometimes unkind, to the more Fundamentalist types who wear a specific fashion to point out that they are different. Christians also like to Impress. But the question remains: WHO? For them, the answer should be easy, but the temptation is great.

Your clothes say a lot about you. We need to get the perspective right. Yes, there is a time and place to look sexy. However, is it right when it is a child? And there is a time took look athletic...but everyday and for every occasion? There is a time to look a mess in butt ripped and patched jeans, but is Church the right place? Ecclesiastes says there is time for every purpose under Heaven. We just need to use a bit more discernment and wisdom when we get dressed in the morning. People see your appearance long before your Big Mac.