Category: Unit 05

When comes to how I choose to dress my self or customize myself, I’d say that I probably care about my appearance than the average person. I definitely try and attempt to be as presentable as possible , from head to toe. Hygiene is a big part of my customization. I cannot (or rarely) leave the house without a shower. I have to have good breath, short nails, etc. I also like to have my hair styled before I leave the house. When it comes to what I wear, I’d say that Im not really influenced too much by the trends , but I believe that my style  very well put together while casual, not over the top unless needed.  Your appearance his your very first impression  and I believe that if you look your best, you will do your best at whatever it is.

I make a lot of my choices of clothing through what I feel like I want to wear. There are certain colors of shirts that I think I look more presentable in than others. My go to colored shirts are usually the neutral colors like white, gray, black, and navy. Those with a nice pair of shoes along jeans or chinos are always a good combo, and you cant really go wrong. My style is pretty simple but I think it looks good. As long as it matches/and/or the scholar scheme isnt too outrageous.  With this being said, I know that the choices I make have to do with the fact that I believe that others will think it looks at least presentable.

Over the years, I think that I’ve become more confident in my presentability. Ive discover who I really am and what I want to become. Growing up, Ive always wanted to wear what my friends were wearing because they had the cool brands. In middle school in was all about the “preppy” hollister and abercrombie and fitch , and in high school it was more about the laid back/skater brands like volcom, hurley, fox, etc. (Pacsun = all my clothes in high school). To sum it up, I think my style has just matured more and that it will continue to as I become older.

When it comes to my family, my mom and my dad are polar opposites. My mom cares a lot about appearance and presentation while my dad could care less. Id say that I take on more of my mom’s values when it comes to appearances but I know that I had a laid back side as well. Growing up, my mom would constantly dress me in very nice clothing. I was a baby gap model, which is very embarrassing, and my mom always wanted to make me look “cute” or “handsome”. I honestly hated it because it felt uncomfortable, but today I definitely appreciate it. I know that today, I wear what makes me comfortable, but it as to be presentable. My dad on the other hand wears the strangest clothes. I cant even begin to explain it, but there are days, when he just wears a t-shirt and some sweats, and Ive definitely done that before.

When it comes to my peers, Id say that I dress with my own style, but still seems pretty similar to everyone else on campus. We are all college students that are pretty much, more or less, the same demographic. With that , we all relatively may have the same interest due to the fact the we are the same age and go to the same school. I know that while in school, people really wont judge what you wear because everyone is busy with school. They understand if you need a cheat day (or week) to wear just sweats and a hoodie because of midterms or finals. This is a big relief because you feel like at the end of the day, your peers really dont care, which influences what you wear.

Today was a perfect day to “people watch” (that didnt sound creepy at all), as it was 84 degrees on campus. Whenever the sun is out, the school’s population seems to double. There are a ton of “sun’s out, guns out” bros and high shorts, summer-dress wearing girls out and about.  Everyone seems to be laying out on the Memorial Quad or throwing a frisbee around: kind of what one expects college to be. Its pretty ironic since this discussion is about the expectations/assumptions of people based on what they are wearing.  On that note,  there were many  people that I noticed , but 3 stuck out and caught my eye for this assignment.

The first person I notice was a tall male wearing all Nike Oregon gear, from his head to his feet. He also had a pair of  Dre Beats headphones. He also was rockin the classic, clean, buzz cut. He had a certain demeanor about him that portrayed  confidence.   He was also bigger, so it seemed that he valued a healthy lifestyle. It’s hard to put a finger on how an individual feels about certain issues because even if the organization they represent believes in something, the individual is just as likely to feel a different way.  n terms of emotional condition, I believe this individual would feel self confident in their body to be able to play a sport in front of a number of strangers.  However, the individual didn’t seem sad or anything of that nature, so I assume that they are at peace mentally. I assume this person is an athlete for our school because of what he was wearing along with his Oregon Backpack, which definitely gives it away.

The next person I noticed was a girl that was wearing a navy summer dress with white polka dots on them, while wearing flip flops. She was obviously dress for the amazing weather! She was also wearing a black backpack so I assume that she a student going to class. She looked maybe about 5’5”, she was skinny , and had long brown hair. From her demeanor and based on appearance, she seemed happy. I can see her as being very fun, smilely and bubbly. I can’t really say for sure but I would assume she has a supportive family, and that she grew up with strong values.

The last person I observed was a 5’10” Caucasian male. He was a little on the bigger side, had long and somewhat curly, messy hair. He was wearing what seemed to be a dirty or old muggy green t shirt, and beige khaki cargo shorts. Side note, whenever I see people wear a green shirt which  beige/brown khakis, I think they look like a tree. He seem older, maybe about 26-30 years old. I got a kinda of nerdy demeanor from him. I could definitely see him as a GTF for math or economics.  feel his appearance makes him look very relaxed and laid back, friendly, but maybe weird (not a bad thing).

Again, all these assumptions were based on quick observations. I know that I cannot know a person just based on peer observation. My claims are due to the assignment at hand. Don’t judge a book by its cover.