Non-Uniform Uniforms
1st August 2024
Clothes make the man. It also allows for quick identification and classification. Metal-heads, preps, punks, country-music sorts, nerds, back-to-nature types (old school and recent), firearms folks, faculty with or without tenure**, they tend to blur. Think of all the professional women in solid-color sheath dresses, or blouses and pencil skirts, jackets, office heels (2-3? heel but not spike usually), tasteful jewelry. Even without a set dress code beyond “professional,” everyone gravitates toward an unspoken but acceptable look. Even in a less formal setting, we all lean toward blending in with the flock. There’s safety and acceptance in numbers, and in not standing out.
The military have a technical term for people who Stand Out. They’re called ‘targets’.