Fashion is Political

Written by Tiffany Jamero

No choices are made individually. All choices are made with prior knowledge and information. Information is political. How you learn it, the source of that information, the context of everything we do is political. That includes the clothes you put on your body.

In the age of seemingly limitless information, people will continue to be flawed and make decisions out of selfish want and desire. Selfishness stems from the primal instinct to survive in the way that makes us most comfortable. That comfort could be in the form of way of life, work habits, social status, consumerism, and whatever aspects of life that could possibly feed our brains the dopamine it desires. Education and access to information are not one in the same. Googling and ChatGPT has not made us smarter, stronger, or more creative. These technologies do not instill peace or empathy in humanity. Access to education, aka the exposure to new cultures and ways of thinking, and sharpening the tool of critical thinking is what can break us away from selfishness and breed empathy and community. 

Living is not as simple as “do what you want”. Actions and the lack thereof have consequences because everyone must participate in the society that we live in together. We cannot survive without each other. Fashion is not an individual choice, it is a choice made from art, culture, history, and socialization. Every time you step outside and participate in society, how you choose to present yourself and how you are perceived is affected by what you chose to wear today.

There is history behind styles and individual articles of clothing. The cotton t-shirt made in 1980 feels different from the cotton t-shirt made in 2024. Differences in cotton crop and manufacturing play a role and why there is a difference in production of clothing is heavily impacted by political and economic motivation.

Fashion is a symbol of art and self-expression. It is also a tool for oppression. It is also a tool for justice. How you choose to present yourself to the world matters. 

As the world around us seems more disparaging and hopeless, we cannot give up on each other or our communities. The servers at your local restaurant, your neighbor who you see on walks, the family and friends you gather with on the holidays, the coworkers you see forty hours a week, and everyone else in your city or town who you meet along the way is your community. Protecting your neighbor’s right to existence and peace is ensuring that you and your community continue to have the right to create and cultivate art and culture for generations. Individualistic freedom of expression should not be infringed upon by any government or leader.

If you are choosing to protest, please get guidance from community activists on how to stay safe. Wear plain clothes, cover identifiable features, cover your face. Exercise your freedom of speech through protest, through writing, through donations, through organization. 

What you choose to wear today was made possible because of people who made choices before you.