I’ve seen the fools of the local Wal-Mart festooned in their audacious apparel: the girl in the baggy sweat pants and fuzzy slippers, the man with his jeans around his knees and the mesh jersey, the older woman with the sleeveless tee and no bra (*shudder*), or the older man in his denim vest with no shirt. It’s a world full of “brave” people. Or is apathy a better term? What you wear, or don’t wear, definitely communicates a lot. That’s why fashion interests me so much, it’s an amazingly creative means of communication.
This post is guaranteed to garner me some mocking, I know and anticipate it. Some of my pals will, no doubt, turn around and ask me for my “dude card.” Nonetheless I confess it: I like fashion. And after I ranted against shopping last week (which I don’t like), I wanted to talk about a related subject this week (which I do like). The world of fashion is captivating at times. There is real creativity to be found among styles and designers. What has always fascinated me about fashion too is the fact that what I wear can so easily communicate dozens of things, that’s some amazing creative power.
Designer, Ralph Lauren once said, “I believe one can live many lives through personal style. Every day is an occasion to reinvent yourself.” Maybe “reinventing” yourself is a bit much, but I like the idea that any day’s style can reflect any different aspect of who I am. God has made us as complex creatures and one of the ways we can express that complexity is through our style. We often think of people as one-dimensional, and their attire is meant to support that. The Goth must wear certain styles and colors in order to maintain his credibility as a “Goth.” The WASP, the Punk-rocker, the cowboy, etc. all of them are expected to have a certain look. There is a real freedom, however, in knowing that I don’t have to look a certain part, but I can be me, with all my complexities and eccentricities and interests. And that means I can wear whatever I want.
So some days I want to wear the black Dickies shorts with the Converse Chuck Taylors and a band t-shirt. Other days I enjoy donning the classy bow tie and sports coat. I like Gingham shirts and pocket squares, and I like flannels and hoodies. Some days I want to wear a pair of TOMS and some days I would love to own a pair of Mark McNairys. I like fashion and all the ways that it can communicate aspects of me. I enjoy the freedom of wearing what I want, when I want, and what best fits my mood. When I was younger I couldn’t do that, I was enslaved to the opinions of others, but fashion is freeing.
I know, I know, that sounds oxymoronic. After all, fashion is all bout the opinions of eccentric designers and celebrities. But that is only a part of the big fashion picture. Genuine personal style allows me to be me. I recognize, of course, that the folks at Wal-Mart on any given day are dressing in their own personal style too. It’s not to my taste, that’s for sure, but then again I am not a fan of the mass-produced designs found at any given shopping mall either. I like creating my own look and mixing styles. But these thoughts highlight one other dimension of the fashion arena that I have to be conscious of: the tendency to judge others by their style.
I love the freedom I’ve found in my style, but, lest I be a hypocrite, I need to let others have the same freedom. Baggy sweats and a Hooters tee are not very appealing to me. But personal taste should not be made a standard for judging others. God has made us all unique and complex and our styles may vary. If I wish to have freedom in my fashion then I should permit others to have freedom too.
In conclusion, I think fashion allows me two unique ways to honor Christ: (1) to enjoy creating my own personal style, rejoicing in the freedom I have to be myself; (2) by not judging others for their style. These are important ways I can honor God with what I wear and how I think. Who knows, maybe reflecting on fashion and style will become a new Christian discipline.
Sparrow & Heart Soul Care 