Spring Research

Luxury to Necessity

If we lived in a world where oil disappeared, the fashion industry would completely change. The price of clothing would be expensive, forcing people to buy only what they need and nothing more. We would be forced to live in a world where we prioritize necessity over luxury. However, this world wouldn't be a utopia or dystopia (in terms of clothing). It would be uncomfortable if we just teleported to that reality. But for people who have already been living in that, the world would be no worse. In fact, it would be better.

Without oil, clothes become purely clothes. Nothing else. We wouldn't be walking advertisements for big brands. There wouldn't really be a need for brands because all a company needs to do is make a clothing that can be worn. Because clothing is so expensive already, we don't care about cool styles or logos or even colors. I know my sister wouldn't have to complain about no pockets because pockets matter more than style. All that matters is efficient and environmentally-safe clothing. Money can't buy attractiveness. 

We would be forced to judge a person on their character. Even though an oil-free world will cause discomfort and inconveniences in the short term, we'll be forced to focus on those issues instead of profit and appearance issues. It would create a more honest society. A more productive society. We wouldn't be so focused on our insecurities. We'll instead just recognize that how we look doesn't affect our personality, our dreams, our skills, our friends. This is because clothing is a socially constructed thing. So is our hairstyle, makeup, jewelry, tattoos. They are man-made inventions that aren't naturally attractive or meaningful, but it was given meaning by societal norms. You might argue that physical appearances may not make this world possible, which could be true. But at least money can't buy attractiveness. 

The Current Problem

In the current world, we buy some clothes, and we buy some more. We go shopping for fun, we buy stuff on sale, we buy stuff for specific one-time occasions, we buy stuff because its trendy. Clothing has expanded further than just a need, it has become extremely tied to our culture and values. It even defines who we are. 

Looking good has become a way for us to judge others. You might label someone as "rich" or "emo" or "feminine" based on their clothes. And this can be wrong because it creates stereotypes and doesn't judge a person fairly. These expectations aren't completely our faults. Returning back to oil, we've learned through Chelsea Schields lectures that oil and big corporations have spent years to create artificial expectations into society to gain profit. 

Fashion is a social tool. In work settings, you're typically supposed to dress business formal or casual. In parties, you wear dresses or stylish clothes. There is a difference between professional and unprofessional and a million other categories in between that isn't solely judged on how we act, but also how we look. Imagine going to a funeral with a graphic tee and swim shorts. I think we can universally agree that that type of clothing is not appropriate for that setting, but we also have to realize how we've attached a meaning to certain types of styles, and not the other way around. In fact, across different cultures and nations, different styles are deemed appropriate. So is it really universal? Beauty is a social construct.