How We Treat Our Clothes as Sacred Without Even Knowing It
by S.W. Have you ever wondered how (or why) our clothing speaks to us on a personal level? Oftentimes we'll wear garments without even thinking about the meaning or nuance behind it. In a world that has become inundated with practical solutions and surrounded by scientific methods, the value of aesthetics, fashion philosophy, and deeper meaning have easily become lost. In a world that rewards values such as instant gratification and surface level social acceptance, greed and materialism seems to run rampant behind clothing choices. People will often chase trends, "what's hot," "what's next," or simply what's cheapest, without considering the meaning behind their clothing choices. So, you may ask, how exactly are our clothing choices connected or interwoven with our "higher selves"? If greed, materialism, and quick fixes are at the forefront of everyone's minds, how do personal preferences come into play without our knowledge? If you know anything about me, you know that I am quite intentional about the clothing choices that I make. I am very much aware of factors like art/prints, make and silhouette of garments, fabric choices, sustainability, ethics, etc. But my biggest concern that I feel we all must raise awareness toward is the sacredness behind clothing - the "why" behind that "what." We all have deeper level values, whether we are aware of them or not. Therefore, everyone treats clothing like a sacred act of sorts, particularly those who are invested in fashion as an art form and not simply as a practical means to an end. So my question that I leave you with is: What are you investing in? What does fashion mean to you? Why would you consider it "sacred" or not?
