I"ll admit it's a subject that both frightens me and intrigues me. Probably because I've worn the same clothing for the last 6 years of my life with very little update on my wardrobe, and it shows. It amazes me how seriously people can take the subject of fashion while I"m just satisfied with what I have. Not that I don't seek possessions, but I tend to seek possessions with a little more utility than high heels have for catching a bus.
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In this paper I"ll be discussing a few aspects of fashion that pertain to society and how they interact with the social class structure. Of these, I will try to focus on fashion and how society views the individual.
We"ll begin with fashion. Fashion is the desire of self-identification and has been an important part of Human nature since we were Hunter-Gatherers. Teeth, bones, hair etc. were all displayed as trophies from the victory over foes. "An evidence of the wearer's prowess, and not of the prowess of another." (Edward Ross, pg. 96) However, in societies with little social class movement or strict caste systems, we see little change in fashion. In ancient Japan, fashion was restricted to those who were believed to be inferior. Every detail of a farmer's existence was given in length by law, including fashion. A farmer who produced an inadequate amount of rice per calendar year (less than 20 koku of rice) was unable to wear stockings and his sandals were to be made of bamboo. Other family members were affected as well. His wife was not to wear silk or tortoise ornaments in her hair nor was she able to wear anything but sandals made of wood or straw with thongs fashioned of cotton. Neither of them were allowed the use of sunshades or paper parasols to shield the sun during the hot days spent in the rice fields. In Izumo there were laws in place defining not only the material of the dresses to be worn by the women of various classes, but colors, designs and patterns as well.
