Context + Literature

Clothes? Facial features?

Accessories?

Body language? Body shape?

Piercing?

Self presentation?

shoes?

Hand gestures?

When you see a person for the first time, what do you notice?

Bags?

Tattoos? Branded products? Eyewear?

Make up?

Introduction

Does our selfpresentation affect everyday interaction?

If we look at the origin of clothing, it came into existence to protect the physical body from the surrounding. In “Does Appearance Matter?” author Lucia Klencakova states, “According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, clothing is considered twice; first, clothing belongs to physical need, including food and shelter, and then to social need because appearance as an expression of one’s identity also expresses belonging to a certain group, or subculture.”Regardless of its origin, dress is no longer used primarily for protective measures but rather to create and maintain respectability through its visual display. We now use clothes and commodities as a tool of self-presentation and to express an individual’s identity. Clothing is a silent tool that people consciously or unconsciously use to declare who they are, how they wish to be seen, and how the audience will perceive them. Clothes, make-up, and accessories communicate one’s social and marital status, religious beliefs, even sexual orientation. Lucia Klencakova in Does Appearance Matter? sums up the idea by quoting Freud, “Every change in the customary attire … means to express something the wearer of the apparel does not wish to say directly.” Like in ancient Egypt, the household’s male head was accessorized with jewelry and clothing, which would show his status and dignity without any title or use of words.

In order to understand how our mind and body works when we unconsciously observe other people, authors, Nancy Rudd and Sharron Lennon discuss it in “Body Image: Linking Aesthetics and Social Psychology of Appearance,” about DeLongs four-step theory on how our mind perceives other people and how we are perceived by other people based on the material things and body construct.

The second step is to look at line direction, shapes, textures, and how the garment or accessory relates to the body on which it is worn.

The first step is to observe the person as a whole form.

The third step includes visual analysis of specific components, and then they are interpreted in a socio-cultural context.

The last step is to evaluate the appearance with the context in which it is presented to the viewer.

If we look back at the experience of meeting a person for the first few times in college or on a date, we were consciously or unconsciously following DeLongs four-step theory. We try to figure out the person’s character from how they dress, walk and talk to surrounding people. The first impression comes from the body itself and the person’s aesthetic presentation. In “Does Appearance Matter?” author Lucia Klencakova states that “Clothing is a prop used to support one’s identity. In other

words, people use clothing to declare who they are; how they wish to be seen, and how the audience will perceive them. Clothes, make up, and accessories communicate one’s social and marital status, religious

The action beliefs, even sexual orientation.” of self-presentation is an extended part of the story of who we are or want to be perceived. For instance, we dress differently for different occasions; we would dress up for a date that shows the parts of self we want others to perceive.

Taken together the primary units of body and dress present both aesthetic and social information, which the viewer interprets and evaluates against some personal and/ or socio-cultural standards. In “Body Image: Linking Aesthetics and Social Psychology of Appearance,” authors Nancy Rudd and Sharron states Hillestad’s views “To truly understand what we perceive in the appearances of others we must critically examine not only the form of an appearance but also the content.” According to author Hillestad, the word content represents past experiences and observations for each individual and is also shaped by socialization and education. The author Nancy A. Rudd

and Sharron J. Lennon, In “Body Image: Linking Aesthetics and Social Psychology of Appearance,” talks about these perspectives in social psychology which is used to study overall body image, including cultural categorization, Status characteristics theory, Stigma, Body type, Social comparison theory, and social identity theory.

Cultural categorization

While perceiving people, we put categories in them. We mostly classify people based on their sound, smell, and appearance. Appearance is most often used to categorize, and when we form categories based on culturally relevant differences, we are forming cultural Categories. The perception of a person based on appearance is based not only on the form but also on social content. As in Facial attractiveness: evolutionary-based research, the authors state that “Familiarity is a powerful determinant of attraction.”

For example, In a conversation with my Indian origin friend who is born and brought up in India and moved to New York two years ago who now works as a physical therapist in the Bronx. She described to me that during the Hindu festival of Diwali she wore a kurti to her workplace; kurti is a long below-knee length straight top, which she paired with leggings and accessorized with some traditional jewelry, where one of her non-Indian patient looked at her and question why is she wearing this costume?. If she had worn the same outfit in India, or in front of an Indian-origin person, it would have been a regular outfit and not treated as a costume. However, the same outfit was not relatable to her patient as they had never seen anyone wearing a similar outfit.

Our perception of appearance changes with the cultural understanding we have developed by learning and looking at the behavioral differences in our social realms.

Balenciaga shoes

Copy for Balenciaga shoe

Status characteristics theory

In any given cultural category, the hierarchical social structure is influenced by social cues such as appearance, including gender, age, attractiveness, stigma, and body type. This categorization is often reflected in unequal access to power, social and economic inequality. These theories categorized how appearance can intervene with our social structures in different ways. In Fashioning Power: Visual Self-Presentation in Social Life, writer and speaker Anna Akbari say, “This social capital is not relegated exclusively to the visually correct selection of specific garments or extensive bodily makeovers, it is also traded through one’s association with brands and the veritable transformation into one’s own brand.” She argues that social capital is not achieved by merely coping with another person’s dressing style but also rooted in the brands that a person is choosing to wear. In simpler words, two people are wearing almost identical sneakers, but one is from Gucci, and another is from Zara. The person wearing Gucci shoes will have higher social capital. Merely coping with a style wouldn’t change the perception of the observers.

While people who have established their social status in their social surroundings are not questioned about their capital. Lynn Yaeger, in an interview with Anna Akhbari for Fashioning power: Visual Self Presentation in Social Life, revealed that all the jewelry she wears is always real – except for the earrings she wears every day. “Everyone thinks the earrings are real, they think they’re these big diamond earrings, but they’re not. I bought them in Washington Heights 20 years ago.” However, the people around her easily pass it as a “real” piece of jewelry without second-guessing it as she has an already built social status where people have stopped to question her choice of brands.

Body type

The desirability of certain body forms is evidence of cultural influence. The cultural imagery associated with body type is evident in fashion magazines, beauty contests, sporting events, and children’s toys.

I have been born and brought up in a mid-size city, Ahmedabad, in India, in a fairly conservative Indian mindset. Since the age of twelve, I started gaining weight as a side effect of medicines for my asthma. Since then until now (I am 24 years old), I have heard comments on my appearance almost every week from my close and extended family. The comments keep changing with the clothes I wear if they make me look slimmer or puffier. Which made me more conscious about my choice of clothing and appearance, which I would carry. The clothes that made me look slimmer made me more confident.

Anna Akhbari in “FASHIONING POWER Visual Self-Presentation in Social Life” interviewed Oksana, a Russian woman who has lived in the U.S. for several years, is an associate director at a major investment bank in New York City. In which Oksana placed a strong emphasis on confidence: “If I look good, I am more confident and get things done quicker, because people are more open and cooperating. People like well-dressed, good-looking people. It is in nature.” The selfpresentation of a person is not only affected by others but also affects the mental image of ourselves.

Social comparison theory

In this theory, Festinger, author of “A theory of social comparison processes Human Relations,” pointed that humans have the drive to evaluate themselves by comparison to some standard, But to get the maximum information, they would compare to similar others.

During the past few months, I have joined an online dating application, Bumble. In this application, we are asked to put a few pictures and write about ourselves, which is not mandatory. The choices are mostly based on the images and followed by the short bio if there are any. I would usually pass on men with muscular fit bodies, mainly because it makes me more conscious about my body, which is more on the spectrum’s fatter side. I created an illusory comparison with the social standard created by the media on a person’s body type.

Stigma

When an individual’s appearance deviates from the normal, like physical abnormality, which is relevant in appearance, it could be socially stigmatized and become a disadvantage for the person.

In a conversation with a friend who is suffering from Atopic Dermatitis disease, a rare skin condition that makes your skin red and itchy and leaves spots on the skin. He has been suffering from the young age of ten. He is based in the capital city of the western state of Rajasthan in India. During his middle school years, his other classmates isolated him from the class and would not sit beside him as they thought it would spread to them. Many kids were told not to be around him by their parents; part of the reason was not enough knowledge about the type of disease. As a young kid, his appearance affected his school life-extending to mental health based on his physical appearance.

Social identity theory

In this theory, Festinger talks about comparing an individual-based on the social group in which they belong. One will derive a positive self-image from those group memberships if one belongs to socially valued groups. To the extent that one belongs to socially devalued groups, group membership will contribute negatively to selfimage.

This phenomenon is observed in many movies where the protagonist has transformed themself to fit in the desired role. Like in The Princess Diaries, the teenage lead Mia, who has curly hair, wears glasses and has crooked teeth, finds out that she is a princess of a small European principality called Genovia. During the film, she is transformed into an elegant woman with straightened hair, a more groomed face, and feminine clothing to suit the title of princess. The social structure of appearance is gridded and divided to fit in a given system. In The “Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Double Day’’, Goffman says, “In all societies, rules of conduct tend to be organized into codes which guarantee that everyone acts appropriately and receives his due.” Many people alter their bodies, hair, and clothing to align with the social network. This system majorly works because the person knows that he is actively observed, and changing his appearance would change the observer’s interpretation of him.

Before makeover in movie Princess diaries

After makeover in movie Princess diaries

Disguise of appearance

Visual appearance can be used to tell a story about oneself but can also be used to disguise one’s personality. This phenomenon can be most comprehended in superhero films where a costume separates them from ordinary people. A costume is made to change and attract the viewer’s attention, but it creates a different identity for the person. A person is different with and without a costume, like a layer of clothing ignites the person’s alter ego. In “Raiding the Superhero Wardrobe: A Review of The Superhero Costume – Identity and Disguise in Fact and Fiction”, author Alke Gröppel-Wegener says, “But the masks also permit superheroes to act as they might not in their civilian guises – it is almost as if this part of the costume gives them permission to act outside of the law, while at the same time giving them the anonymity that protects their circle of friends and family.” The costume gives them the power to act outside civilian law, where masks give superhero costumes that lead to moral ambiguity.

For example, in the superhero film spiderman, an ordinary student, peter parker, after being bitten by a genetically altered spider, gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to any surface. He wears a mask to hide his real personality while using his abilities to fight crime. Over time his costumes evolve from a mere mask to a whole bodysuit. There is an instant switch in his character throughout various films; when he is seen in his costume, he gains confidence, which he fails to carry without the costume. On the other hand, superheroes opt to wear civilian outfits to disguise and remove their superpowers and turn the wearer into an ordinary human. The civilian outfits make the wearer an ordinary person, a layman, and then back to their normal self. Though the normal self can change, depending on what the wearer thinks of being normal is.

Costumes are made to stand out from the rest and to make them look unique. It can also declare you to be a part of a larger group, like the Russian feminist protest punk rock and performance art group Pussy Riot’s balaclava mask. They use these masks as a uniform which mold them into a recognizable group. Balaclava masks also carry many connotations as robbers or burglars use them to hide their identities. Outfits/ accessories are not only used to stand out of hiding one’s personality but also change how the person feels after wearing it. A piece of clothing can have the ability to change a person’s attitude, personality, and actions.

Peter Parker as layman in Spider Man

Peter Parker as superhero in Spider Man

Group of women dressed in Pussy Riot’s balaclava mask

Appearance in professional world

Appearance is assessed by people in every walks of life, social as well as professional life. in “Does Appearance Matter?” author Lucia Klencakova states that “Researchers established in the past that attractiveness can be a foundation for success (Brower, 2013; Cavico, Muffler, & Mujtaba, 2012; James, 2008).” When we walk in for an interview, we want to present our best selves, including our external appearance. The first look marks an impression on the other person. Even though appearance does not speak about professional skills that a person might have, it maintains a large role in many professions. For example, for a lawyer to be perceived as qualified, experienced, and gain the client’s trust, s/he needs to be dressed to a certain standard; otherwise, a client might not even consider his or her services. While this tool can be used as an added strength, but it becomes an unfair disadvantage to others in the hiring process. Someone who might be more deserving would not get the role as s/he was not physically attractive.

Man’s attire in corporate world

Women’s attire in corporate world

Concerning appearance in the workplace, there is one more classification of sex that is involved. Essentially men and women are both required to alter their looks in order to land a job. Men in a traditional workplace are required to wear a power suit of a dark, tie, and short hair, preferably no facial hair; this professional look proffers an image of authority, dominance, and power. In “Does Appearance Matter?” author Lucia Klencakova says, “The suit gives an illusion of the male being larger than he is with the shoulder pads worn over the shirt, which adds bulk and size to the male’s body while concealing undesirable imperfections.” It gives an impression of a well-groomed, sophisticated look, which assures the quality of the service.

In “Does Appearance Matter?” author Lucia Klencakova argues that women are judged more severely than men when dressing for the workplace. Women are also required to dress according to the job title, but the appearance in professional settings gets more complicated as sexuality is involved with females. Women are expected not to wear skirts or too much make-up, be not very masculine and not very feminine at the same time. In lawsuit Jespersen v. Harrah, an employer required male employees to be well-groomed, have trimmed nails, short hair, and refrain from wearing make-up. Female employees were required to be “appealing to the eye”— be body toned, wear stockings and nail polish, style their hair, and the employer also hired a make-up artist to tell female employees how to style themselves for work every day. Based on appearance, Bais takes a different form based on physical attractiveness, gender, and self-presentation. In contrast, these go unseen and are legal (mostly) as there will never be any evidence of it.

Written description of appearance

Appearance is documented majorly through images; however, language is also a powerful tool to describe a person’s presentation. Words describe fictional or real characters in magazines, novels, literature papers, and newspapers; it almost makes us imagine how the person resembles in real life. Roland Barthes begins his investigation in The Fashion System with the observation that Fashion in its written form—what he calls “written clothing”— provides the clearest representation of its meaning in a society. Unlike “real clothing” (that is, actual garments), which is “burdened with practical considerations (protection, modesty, adornment),” written clothing’s only function is signification. Written clothing adds more layers to the character of the person. It not only describes the physical material and characteristics of clothing but how the person wears it. It uses another (or multiple) person’s impression of that appearance. It becomes multilayered with the clothing itself, the writer’s opinion, and the reader’s assumptions. Selfpresentation changes and then exists in various guises according to geographic region, culture, and religion.

For example, imagine this character “Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and bright-green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could remember and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had got it.” (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) The character Harry potter’s physical appearance almost comes alive through words.

Harry Potter’s physical appearnce

Over time, many artists have used art to examine, question, and criticize their personal and social relationships of gender, identity, age, form with the physical appearance.

Self-presentation changes as we grow and evolve with us. It also changes our physical body, which also reflects on how we see ourselves. A British artist, art writer, and curator, John Coplans, addressed masculinity by investigating how societal pressures and mass media inform and shape men’s expectations in Back Torso from below. Coplans took black and white photographs of his naked body when he was sixty years old. He never included his face, and the angle of photographs made his body so abstract that all the lines and curves fade away. He confronts the question of youthful body and issues of aging and deterioration.

Identity, form and gender in Art

The Wigs by Lora Simpson

Self portrait by Claude Cahun Untitled by Claude Cahun (Lucy Schwob), Marcel Moore (Suzanne Malherbe)

Many artists have been using their bodies in performance as a way to explore their identity. Race has also been a defining factor or identity which has formed many notions around visual representation. Lora Simpson, a photographer and a multimedia artist investigate the history of African American hairstyles and conventions of beauty through her The Wigs. The artwork shows image and text in which Simpson refers to the body without including it, inviting the viewer to create narratives about who might wear these hairpieces.

Experimenting with material choices can change our self-presentation. Artist Claude Cahun, who changed her name from Lucy Renee Mathilde Schwob to have a unisex name, was a French queer photographer, sculptor, and writer who experimented with a variety of personas, including dandy weight lifter, aviator, and doll. She captured images of herself in personas around traditional male and female clothing characters to challenge the idea of static gender.

Identity, gender and creation in mythology

Creation of man and women in Mythology Humans’ creation story varies in different cultural groups of how was man and woman born on this planet. In India mythology, the man was considered a god who gives himself the power to reproduce and receive a daughter with whom he made love. Women were born on this planet only for reproduction. In Greek mythology, the man was born as one of the gods, favored by Prometheus (greek god) over Zeus (Greek god). Hence Zeus commanded first women, who were a tool for man’s destruction.

In various mythological archetypes, man’s character has been given god-like form, whereas women form have been made out of man, for man. These formal characteristics have been translated as agents of gender socialization.

The Other sex

Historically gender was not binary to males and females in many cultures. In Native American societies, two-spirit people may be lesbian or gay, live as the other sex, hold sacred or spiritual roles, or perform work typically associated with another sex.

In India, hijras are a separate caste of people who live as neither men nor women. Considered sacred within Hinduism, hijras often play essential roles in religious rites such as births and weddings. The mentions of hijras have been constant in various historical, religious texts, yet they are still not accepted by society and treated as outsiders. There has always been a third/ other sex presence, yet it is not accepted by society. They have different visual appearances, and their way of expression still remains taboo in many parts of the world, making them an outsider.

Photograph of ‘Hijra’-the third gender from India by photographer Jill Peters

Photograph of ‘Hijra’-the third gender from India by photographer Jill Peters