Promoting American cultural hegemony, a primary tenet of which is that everyone must dress as slovenly as possible.
Maybe in Hollywood or the Paris Hilton clique, but I don't see this elsewhere. Clothes are still a marker of money in American and even the sloven "fashions" of the LA set are still more expensive than most people can afford.
In the States, New England and especially the South East have a class-based dress code. I think there is a general tendency to up dress and an over focus on appearances.
... it's slightly subversive in this mad nation to dress up.
Maybe in Hollywood, but elsewhere I don't see it. America is still a country where a beard, for example, is frowned upon.
Is there not a connection between our outward appearance and human dignity?
No. I do not agree. A ill-dressed, poorly-groomed person should be accorded the same respect, the same politeness as a well-dress, well-groomed person. But, it doesn't happen. Watch the level of service people get while shopping or traveling at an airport. The well-dressed, well-groomed person gets the benefit of the doubt and respect. At best, the ill-dressed, poorly-groomed person will be ignored.
"it's not about money, you just have to find what looks good on you."
It may not be about money -- clothes can be found notoriously cheaply in the United States, but it is about time and training... Americans do not have their artistic eyes cultivated. Arts and culture in schools are minimal and unless someone learns what looks good on her or him, then she or he will more likely follow the trends or fads in fashion -- sloven or otherwise.
So I think one could make an argument that dressing up, dressing well, is a kind of passive resistance to U.S. imperialism.
I could argue the opposite, that if you spent more on clothes made in Asian sweatshops, then you are advocating U.S. imperialism by your consumer habits.
At the very least, you'll look less American...
Is looking American bad?
Yep.
Does it matter that the giant heel things are made by people earning a couple of dollars a day, and the profit margins are insane?
Hollywood? I've never been to LA and have no clue what your comment has to do with anything... Paris Hilton? LA? What people can afford? Did you even read this?!
I have spend all my life in the Midwest, however, and let me tell you, most people err on the side of comfort. And as our cultural hegemony spreads throughout the world, it is reflected in people's dress. What did the poor oppressed Soviets want the minute they got a taste of freedom? JEANS. What fashion trend accompanied the end of the Cold War? TRACKSUITS. When I go to Europe people say, you cannot be American; you don't look like an American. Sure, it is a stereotype. But are you going to sit here and tell me you seriously think the American fashion sense is not implicitly casual? America means jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. This has been our contribution to the world of fashion.
Every place on Earth has a class-based dress code. I believe I addressed that matter in the bit about proles and flats. And the New England chic bit.
What on earth does Hollywood or beards have to do with shoes? Beards are very intellectual and that's why they are frowned upon. Also, they remind people of Santa and Marx and may encourage the belief that we should get stuff for free, which infuriates the Capitalist regime.
Gah! Why are you so obsessed with Hollywood? Bizarre....
Can you point out where I said ill-dressed, poorly-groomed persons should NOT be accorded the same respect, the same politeness? I don't think I said that. I said you should make an effort.
You don't need to wear clothes made in sweatshops to dress up. You don't need to spend money to dress up. My argument here is that our government is kicking our ass and treating us as though we are worthless. We can't give in to them. Write your Senators, join the Healthcare for All movement, and put on some pumps. It's a multi-pronged approach. Possibilities are endless.
Er... Everyone is entitled to their own opinion...
Magnifico, you and I repeatedly contradict ourselves in our remarks.
Here is a nice quote.
"Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds." ~Emerson
Also, do I need to put a "Warning!" at the top of every single diary I write letting people know the following content is meant to be satirical and obnoxious yet contain a bit more truth than you are comfortable admitting publicly? I suppose I do.
Anyway, thanks for reading! I mean, I really am a Marxist (well, strongly in favor of the redistribution of wealth and the nationalization/public ownership of non-luxury industries and services.) I am to the left of almost all of my friends, def. all of my family. I'm reading the Shock Doctrine. I am a political activist. I reuse, reduce and recycle. I don't drive. I am a pacifist. I am pretty hardcore at the end of the day. And yet. I have some slightly fascist philosophies about aesthetics. I'm also a feminist who reads the eXile. I'm full of contradictions. And highly opinionated. The only solution - that I can see - is to treat my inconsistencies with humour.
I'm sorry you didn't find this diary funny...
P.S. Since this diary does kind of dove-tail with my Sovok piece, I think this observation from SOKW's DJ VadimJ is apropos:
"As one of the comments to your story said it, it has a lot to do with ideology, and I agree with that. Also, Americans love new things and like to feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, low attention span and lack of self-satire may contribute to the embrace of patterns with which you and I are very familiar with. Much work needs to be done in educating Americans on what it means to be a "Sovok." Let the exploration continue!"
hahaha... Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Hope you are sitting down
Blog standing... a novel idea. :) Anyway, yes I read what you wrote, I just disagreed with some of your observations. What caused me to write the comment was equating casually with slovenly.
But are you going to sit here and tell me you seriously think the American fashion sense is not implicitly casual? America means jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. This has been our contribution to the world of fashion.
And I see it there is nothing wrong with this. Jeans were originally work clothes. A good pair of jeans used to be both comfortable and durable... now jeans are crap and wear out after 3 washings. T-shirts are practical -- no buttons, no collars -- and simple. A good pair of sneakers is probably the best thing for a person's feet to wear. I see the worst thing about sneakers is they're pretty heavy on the environment - but for comfort and for health, they're good on the feet.
Casual is good. If that is America's contribution to the world of fashion, then thank you America.
Why are you so obsessed with Hollywood?
I'm not. I was trying to see what you're observing and was thrown off course by the actresses mentioned and pictured in your essay.
The link I missed was you equate casual with slovenly. This is what I did not fully pick up on and understand, until your clarifications. From the essay:
I'm just not a casual person at my core... Promoting American cultural hegemony, a primary tenet of which is that everyone must dress as slovenly as possible.
Maybe I'm just hung up on your use of the word slovenly. If you had written "everyone must dress as casually as possible", I wouldn't have blinked an eye. I do not see anything wrong with dressing casually and wish more people did so worldwide.
Anyway, regarding beards, etc. and the relationship to shoes. Your essay, to me, isn't just about shoes -- yes, that is what you focus upon, but also you seem to me to be critiquing casual dress in general... especially in your Crime #4. subsection. The section, in which, the only section in all fairness, you used the word slovenly.
My remarks on the ill-dressed, poorly-groomed not being given the same amount of respect and politeness were in response to the comment about "dressing like a bum" and this:
To which I disagree. I do not believe I claimed you did said an ill-dressed, poorly-groomer person should be disrespected or be rude too. What I did say is that such a person is not respected in society, which I think is wrong. I think we agree on that. Where we disagree what "effort" a person should make on his or her appearance. I think casual is enough of an "effort", while I suspect you would disagree.
You don't need to wear clothes made in sweatshops to dress up. You don't need to spend money to dress up.
Okay, sweatshops is hyperbole, hopefully, on my part, but I wonder. The majority of new clothing sold in the U.S. are made overseas and is sold very cheaply. If the same clothes were made domestically, then I doubt they'd be as cheap. I'm certain you can dress up with vintage or used clothing, but I'd be at a loss to do so.
I like your argument, which I interpret it as -- if we Americans dressed as if we deserved respect and attention, then the leadership would give us the respect and attention we deserve. But, I don't believe this argument to be sound. But, maybe it's because I like, nay prefer casual dress and there fore am not receptive to your tactical suggestion.
Magnifico, you and I repeatedly contradict ourselves in our remarks...
Well I know I'm a contradiction. As a joke, I hope, Migeru added the Magnifico Alert of which I guess is my ET badge of honor or scarlet letter.
Anyway, it's not that I didn't find your piece well written, insightful, or funny, because I do -- I just objected to equating slovenly with casually... and that is what set me to comment.
Beside, if I didn't like your writing, I wouldn't spend my time to comment. :)
