Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


11.04.2004  

The Outfit

The following was written several weeks ago for my English class. It was to be a paper in which a process is detailed. I had a somewhat difficult time figuring out what process I would describe until I realized I could describe something I do every morning: dress myelf. Well, kind of. I decided to make it into a lesson of sorts, one that could be used for almost any wardrobe. And yes, this paper is meant to be silly ;)

It was brought to my attention yesterday that some of the young men of Boyce College are found to be undoubtedly shabby in their appearance. Since this revelation came from several of the young ladies of Boyce College, I will admit that their observations are probably entirely too valid. Though this does not say much for our young men of Boyce, I do believe that there is a remedy. Here, I will share some of my thoughts on selecting the various articles of clothing that will comprise an outfit, with the hopes of showing the men of Boyce that selecting an outfit can indeed be a pleasurable task.

First, one must take into account the weather. This may sound absurdly simple, but it must be done in order for one to accurately gauge the amount of clothing, the type of material, and the colors one will wear. Going to check the weather for the day from www.weather.com is one good way to do this, because not only does this website provide information for any area you could want, but the forecasts are broken down to show the predicted weather patterns for the entire day. For example, if the forecast calls for light rain, it may be wise to cover up in a coat. I prefer leather, but a waterproof nylon jacket will do, as well. Once the weather has been accounted for, the next step can be taken.

Second, I often select one particular item I would like to wear for the day. Sometimes this item is dependent upon the weather, as when I will choose to wear a leather coat. At other times, the occasion forces my hand, and I will choose a suit. Yet upon other occasions, I will select a particular tie to wear, simply out of a desire to wear that tie. This item, of course, is not limited to coats or suits or ties. A shirt, a pair of jeans, or even shoes may determine the rest of the outfit in any given situation. For instance, the other day I wanted to wear a purple, diamond-patterned tie. Being that I had no other shirt that went with it except one of my crisp, white, spread-collar shirts from Express, I donned that as well. Next, I selected a pair of charcoal-gray wool slacks. These slacks feature a flat front, meaning they have no pleats, and a sharp crease. Over the shirt and tie went a black, gray, and white horizontal-stripe v-neck sweater. The v-neck works well with a tie because it creates a nice frame that upholds the tie as it comes out from beneath a collar. From head to toe, I was dressed in black and gray and white, with a dash of purple. This color scheme was not overpowering, yet it was extremely classy and robust. Thus, the purple tie had a strong part in determining the entirety of my outfit for the day.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, I will approve an outfit based upon its feel. What I mean by feel is not rippled roughness of a wool crepe suit, nor the pleasurable softness of a silk-cashmere blend sweater. No, by feel I mean the way an outfit comes together on an individual. A person’s body type has much to do with this. Do they slouch? Are they skinny or fat? Such things have a large bearing upon how an outfit feels on them. For instance, horizontal stripes do not work well on wider gentlemen, as those stripes will call attention to their already obvious wide proportions. Rather, such gentlemen ought to try a pinstripe suit, which has a slimming effect. A person’s skin tone also plays a large part. Those who are already pink complected ought not to wear pink, as it only calls further attention to their lack of melanin. I myself prefer to see pink worn on those with a darker skin tone, as the contrast sets the pink tone off nicely. So you see, the feel of an outfit comprises not only the outfit itself, but the individual. One might say that it is the interaction between the clothes and the individual; such an interaction is vital!

The process of selecting an outfit need not be an arduous task. It can indeed be a pleasurable one, and I hope that it becomes one for more men of Boyce. I do think that, much like I, the women of Boyce would enjoy seeing such a movement take place.

posted by Bolo | 7:23 PM
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