Fashion as Storytelling

Whether we buy into new trends, wear the things that make us happy, or simply give the matter little thought, one thing is certain — the clothes we wear have something to say. Put simply, fashion is a form of storytelling, whether we intend it to be or not.

Movies and books know this fact intimately. One of the first things authors and screen writers describe about their characters is the clothing they wear. And that’s not an accident. Perhaps the easiest way to shape someone’s perception of a character is to be intentional about the clothes you put on their back. 

And it works. When was the last time you watched a show and instantly knew what kind of person a particular character was going to be — the very second they first appeared on screen? Sometimes, of course, our initial perception of a character is incorrect … but often that is because the clothes they are wearing were intentionally misleading.

The same phenomena holds true in real life. Whether we mean to or not, it is in our nature to make judgements on others based off of appearances. I’m not trying to argue that judging a person by their looks is right, or good. It isn’t. Whether it is or not, however, doesn’t change the fact that it happens. 

We can use fashion as a tool to communicate to others who we are, and what we think about ourselves. For example, when we choose to dress in a way that is modest, but frumpy, we unintentionally communicate that we simply don’t care enough about ourselves to make the effort. We also don’t inspire others into considering modesty.

Fashion is a way in which we can reflect our inner selves to the world around us. If we could choose to dress in a way that communicates our values and our dignity, why wouldn’t we?

Sometimes, the messages that clothes convey are simple. A pair of dinosaur earrings, for example, might convey to other people that you really like dinosaurs. Other times, you have to dig deeper — into the psychological implications behind a color choice, for example, or into the history and origin of a fabric or silhouette.

We need to be careful in all this, of course. It is easy to make a god out of clothes. I think it is extremely important to think about our intentions when we wake up and get dressed in the morning — or when we buy a new article of clothing. Clothing shouldn’t be used as a crutch to feel better about ourselves, nor should they become a source of pride. They also shouldn’t become something we need to be happy.

We need to remember that while the clothes we wear can help other people see what is already inside of us, they are not part of our identity in and of themselves. The clothes we wear do not define us, but they can help identify us. By being mindful about our intentions, we can help ourselves to better walk the line between making an idol out of clothing, and using it as an art-form and a tool.

I’ve always thought it would be a fun exercise to make a character sketch of myself, as if I were a character in a book. In doing so, I would think, who am I? What makes me unique? What pieces of myself would I want to convey to an audience reading about my life? How would I do so?

Likewise, we can learn a lot about the language of fashion by doing reverse character sketches on characters in books and film. By looking at the characters in stories, and analyzing why the writers made the clothing choices they did — by wondering, what was being conveyed here? — we can get a better understanding of the psychology behind fashion as a whole.

If you were a character in a book, what would your clothing choices say about you? What would you want them to say?

Did you enjoy this post? Check out my novel, Caladrius Dreams, or my newest writing project, Sunlit Stories! You can also find out more about my writing and editing services here.