Speedbumps

Speed Bumps

In this generation, stereotypes flow like water and hasty generalizations form speed bumps in life, slowing the process of human progression. In a utopian society, the clothes that people wear would not be such an issue; in this world, baggy jeans may not represent delinquency and mistrust but comfort and freedom from restraint; a business suit may not simply denote money and a haughty lifestyle, but intelligence and class as well. Unfortunately, the fact is that this is not the world that we live in. In this American society, and all over the world, clothing means something. The garments that individuals wear are representations of who they are and statements of their beliefs. For this reason, clothing becomes a constant source of motive for stereotypes and prejudgments.

But why do people judge others based on their sense of fashion and the clothing that they choose to wear? The answer: because the other person's garments, thus beliefs, are different from that of the person stereotyping.

The clothes that people wear create a sense of diversity in the world. People immediately believe that they can tell you everything about a person, simply by watching them and observing the clothes that they have on. While this is not always the case, the fact still remains that people put themselves in the situation to be stereotyped the moment they walk out of the door and out into the world.

It is a known fact that presumptions are a global way of life, so when a person dresses in the morning, they are fully aware of the statement they are making to the world, thus they reinforce the prejudgments that may be hurled that way throughout the day.

After dressing oneself in clothing, people generally stand in the mirror and look themselves over for a few minutes. Quite often they will frown, shake their head and slip the clothing off. This is a usual ritual for millions of people every morning because they are aware that the message the outfit they have just wiggled out of is not the one that they want to send. A skirt that is too short could deem a young girl "easy" or a business woman unworthy of respect; pants too baggy could mark a young man as a crook or suspicious criminal, even if quotes of Shakespeare and Aristotle flow through his mind as he walks. The public is not conscious of what goes through each individual person's mind as they walk down the streets to their destination, and, really, the public does not care. If the first impression is the most important, then this impression will most definitely be given by the clothes that are worn, the first thing that is seen before a person opens their mouth to speak.

It is also an acknowledged fact that each and every person on this planet needs to feel as though they belong somewhere, and these garments give people a sense of belonging and help them to fit into their own niche of the environment. So, in essence, it is not the actual