Sophie Rijnaard
Class of 2014
Chances are high you remember people by their appearance. And, vice versa, so do they select their memories of you. Do you think you have been remembered?
Who still has faith in his/her sharp mind alone to open doors to new opportunities, is too often left with more closed than open ones, as this society is ruled by its eyes. On most occasions, first impressions are based in first place on appearance, secondly on character, skills or personality. Thus as early impressions are hard to eradicate from the mind, investing in your appearance could never hurt. The length of your legs certainly isn’t a measure of your talents or opportunities, but dressing them properly sure can make a difference.
In a society where individualism reigns supreme, appearance has become a powerful aspect of one’s identity: On the one hand exactly because it leaves such a lasting impression, on the other hand, because the increased variety of styles in fashion make your choice of dress an indication of who you are – or how you would like to be seen. Every clothing style or dress can define one as part of a group, or as the odd one out, the non-conventionalist, in positive and negative ways. The relation between appearance, fashion and identity is one characterized by paradoxes. All are free to dress as they wish; fashion can be the ultimate freedom of nonverbal self-expression, but linking your identity to a certain style will guarantee that you’ll be perceived as part of a group or subculture, which can be both liberating and restricting.
In other words: style comes with stereotypes as clothing sends message of its own into the world, but does not determine your whole being. Overall, first impressions say a lot, but everything that comes afterwards does the rest: you are more than your T-shirt-tucked-in-skinny-jeans. If you are not, you are most likely not only superficial, but also very boring. But that is another assumption in itself, which thus testifies of the importance of appearances. Question remains: should fashion be explained as a form of freedom of expression or as up to what extent is fashion both a mode of freedom of expression and a restriction? And why are so many people not using it as such?
As we grow older (than 12 years old), most of us come to realize how their appearance can increase or decrease their chances in life and in response decide to become part of the mediocrity: better safe than sorry.
What’s the fun in that? Especially in a country like the Netherlands, many seem to push their appearance in a dark corner when presenting themselves to the world. In a country dominated by the urge to place everyone in categorical squares without allowing any of them more space than others, translating identity into appearance is taken rather badly. Fitting in with the norm has higher priority than expressing anything at all. But, You are going to be seen anyway: better make sure you are noticed as well.
Sophie Rijnaard, Class of 2014 is a Politics and Human Geography major from Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
