Western Clothes and Businessman

I've never notice how Western clothing have had such a big influence around the world. In the article "The Aesthetics and Politics of Japanese Identity in Fashion Industry," the author, Dorinne Kondo presented a history of clothing within Japan and how the western clothing slowly emerge to take over the kimono. Since Japan today moving at the fast pace, the kimono just couldn't keep up with the lifestyle. The western style clothing becomes more popular due to its comfortableness and more of the business attire uniforms. (Kondo)

The business industry always something that more of the "western" thing. Everyone who works in big offices almost always wear suits. As many people says, "you are what you wear," the suits commonly speak for "professional." Therefore, people in the business/office always wear suits to work. This is not only in Japan but it is a world wide trend. Every man should at least own a suit.


Aside from business/office works, the suit are also for meeting, high class dinner party, wedding...Most of the Asian countries has slowly been influences by this western suit. They slowly ditching their traditional clothes to wear these suit. Like in Vietnam, almost all wedding, the suits are always presented either on the groom or guests. The western influences were so strong, it merge into the Vietnamese tradition wedding. Rather than wearing the Ao Dai Khan Dong (traditional dress for man in wedding) the groom now wear the western suit for their wedding. (Origin Vietnam).


The western clothing has brought such a big influences on Asian country. They slowly killing the traditional clothing. Because they have been accepted so widely, people feel ashamed to wear traditional clothing. People wanted to fit into the big crowd. They wanted to be like the Westerners. Like the suit, it become the standard uniform for business/office works and we just cannot break away from it.

This is the 8th week of the compact challenge and I still survive. As finals are drawing close, I do not even have time to get out of the house. Hence, it helps me a lot in resisting the urge of shopping. But I notice that I can survive without buying new clothes. I am start asking myself the question "Do I even need new clothes all the time?" every times I am thinking of going shopping. I Compact Challenge becomes my friend and helps me solving my shopaholic problem. I am so happy with all the money I can save from Lunar New Year :D


Tu Le
Blog#9

Work Cited
Kondo, Dorine. "The Aesthetics and Politics of Japanese Identity in Fashion Industry." Dress and Identity. ed. Joanne B. Eicher, Kim K.P. Johnson, and Mary Ellen Roach-Higgins. New York: Fairchild Publications, 1995. pp. 465-473

"Vietnamese & Western Wedding." Origin Vietnam. 28 Feb 2010. Origin Vietnam, Web. 28 Feb 2010. .

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