Clothes - a second skin

[petrushka.googol]

Are clothes a second skin ? Attire is the window to your identity and people perceive you by how you dress, what fabric you use, how color co-ordinated you are and how well your clothes fit. Why is this premium attached to your habiliments ?

[Robittybob1]

Great topic. I think it is very important.

[Phi for All]

Are you suggesting your first skin is associated with these same things? I never understand the connections you try to make.

 

Clothes perform a variety of functions, and you have the ability to change them to suit context and situation. You don't have that ability with your first skin.

 

If you want to have yet another thread about sartorial embellishments, that's your choice I guess. But why are you trying to make comparisons with first and second "skin"? Aren't clothes more like our missing fur?

[swansont]

I agree with Phi. The first question seems completely separate from the rest of the OP. What is the supposed connection to skin?

[John Cuthber]

To be fair, a lot of people do seem to judge others by their skin, as much as by their clothes.

It's dumb;but it's not rare.

[Phi for All]

To be fair, a lot of people do seem to judge others by their skin, as much as by their clothes.

It's dumb;but it's not rare.

 

But nobody would think you should change your skin color because it's inappropriate for the venue.

 

I think the OP is wrong. For modern humans, clothing has become the first skin. Nowadays, even when people show you some real skin, it's been adorned by tattoos and piercings, and almost emulates clothing by creating patterns where there were none.

 

I also still don't like all the automatic assumptions the OP loves to take. I definitely don't agree that "attire is the window to your identity". That's ridiculous. Dressing like a policeman doesn't make me a policeman. It won't make others think I'm a policeman either unless I act unnaturally like a policeman.

[Strange]

But nobody would think you should change your skin color because it's inappropriate for the venue.

 

The ability for (some?) people to change skin colour could be an interesting idea for a story.

 

unless I act unnaturally like a policeman.

 

Interesting how inserting a comma before "like" would change the meaning ...

[Phi for All]

 

Interesting how inserting a comma before "like" would change the meaning ...

 

"It was a great party. We invited the strippers, Strange, and John Cuthber."

 

"It was an even greater party. We invited the strippers, Strange and John Cuthber."

 

At the second party, you guys really showed us the difference between second and first skins.

[studiot]

 

But he who loveliness within

Hath found, all outward loathes,

For he who color loves, and skin,

Loves but their oldest clothes

 

 

From John Donne 'Undertaking'

 

[Ken Fabian]

Clothing does have social meaning and the expectations with respect to appropriate dress are remarkably strong. Personally I find some of it mystifying - but dressing cheaply and practically, as I tend to do conveys a social message too; seems I'm unlikely to rise beyond my lowly station and show no real pretensions for wanting to. Appearances may not be everything but it seems they count for a lot; dressing inappropriately for status and venue can have real consequences, even for people who are competent and confident, so most people feel strong social pressure to make the effort.

 

And what's with The Suit and it's essential accessory, The Tie? For more than a century this uniform for adult male respectability has prevailed, with surprisingly little change - even people wealthy and powerful enough that they should not feel bound by any dress code seem to be bound, or at least find it advantageous, to abide by that one. The smallest differences in The Suit and The Tie are treated as significant. People do change skin colour - getting tanned or avoiding sunlight are both common to maintain a preferred appearance. Then there is make-up and hair style. Which are usually carefully coordinated with clothing.

[petrushka.googol]

Are clothes a second skin ? Attire is the window to your identity and people perceive you by how you dress, what fabric you use, how color co-ordinated you are and how well your clothes fit. Why is this premium attached to your habiliments ?

 

Another anology is an exoskeleton that is fully customizable,,,,,,

[John Cuthber]

 

Another anology is an exoskeleton that is fully customizable,,,,,,

An analogy for what?

It can't be analogous to skin because, as you say, an exoskeleton can be customised, skin can't- we are (pretty much) born with it

[petrushka.googol]

An analogy for what?

It can't be analogous to skin because, as you say, an exoskeleton can be customised, skin can't- we are (pretty much) born with it

 

Both are tissues.

[Endy0816]

You can change your skin color (at least once).

 

We're just big on attaching meaning to anything that provides differentiation.

Edited January 30, 2016 by Endy0816

[John Cuthber]

Both are tissues.

Not in any conventional use of the word.

[Nomegusta]

I dont pay attention so much. I like to wear for example stripped sweaters. I have them so much. I dont like formal wear. I don't even iron my clothes , just use my hands. And i often buy clothes at second shops or flea markets. That is just not important to me. That can be problem, as community is oriented on "good phycisal look" , including clothing. So when i need to buy something more formal i just hate it. I am so grumpy and if i go alone , i dont buy anything. Same for shoes and other clothing things. Of course, this doesnt have to do anything with hygiene. I just dont like to spend money on clothes, the cheaper the better.

[petrushka.googol]

Not in any conventional use of the word.

 

Both are living extrapolated in a non-living sense.

[Lyudmilascience]

clothes can definitely say a lot about the person, I also wonder if there is any psychology behind the looks of clothing. like maybe clothing does not have a societal determined meaning. perhaps a certain kind of clothes appeals to intelligent people because it looks comfortable and clean cut. but at the same time there are definitely outliers with clothing, some intelligent people are stuck working dirty jobs where they cant wear good looking clothing.