Sunday, December 2, 2012

Coming to Terms

Danny Liemthongsamout

Entry # 5

Kawamura states, "Fashion-ology deals not only with individual but with the social institutions of the fashion world and their effects upon the social and economic status of many individuals when fashion is used as a symbolic strategy." (Kawamura, 105) I realized my family and friends are all stick up boys.  My mother never questioned my bright colors or when I wore gold grills.  My family and relationships based on understanding and closeness allows us to wear our traditional skirts and clothing without judgement even from friends who are not Lao.  This respect and understanding allows us to understand each others cultures and cultural food.  I believe fashion is powerful as a representation of a group values and my family with the value of respect and understanding allows us to transcend notions of appropriate fashion in U.S. society.  I believe this is true in Japanese culture too.  The importance of family transcends into fashion and binds fashion to cultural norms but also allows respect for individuals to dress as they would like.

"Bitch Bad" by Lupe Fiasco is his discussion of of the reclamation of the word bitch and how it has a negative meaning and a positive meaning.  This is something the word black and queer went through also.  I realized there is a reclamation of the words gangster and mobster, because the community of people considered gangsters and mobsters exists.  There exists cultures, values, and morals also.

Update Compact Challenge:

I still haven't bought anything except cigarrettes.
I probably won't buy clothes for a few years. I already have two rooms full of clothes.

No comments: