Category: Unit 05

I have an extremely limited level of personal adornment. In fact, I have always viewed my personal adornment as a sort of lack of any adornment at all. I have an extremely modest sense of style. I prefer clothing with a limited amount of logos and designs (plain preferably), I like quiet colors and I like to be comfortable. I like clothes that have a casual fit, not too baggy or tight. I have never been flashy nor have I sought out an attention-grabbing appearance. I keep my hair very short and simply and I cut it regularly. I do not have any tattoos or piercings. I do not wear any jewelry, watches, or glasses (including sun glasses). I prefer a very safe and conservative appearance, one that does not stand out or draw unwanted attention.

 

I believe my modest personal adornment is a result of my upbringing and the values I have adopted from my family. I am not religious so I do not have any adornment practices that are encouraged or discouraged as a result of any religious beliefs. I come from a white middle class family and I grew up in a safe and clean suburban area. My family always encouraged a clean and neat appearance, and my own appearance, even now that I live away from home, reflects that influence. My family also encouraged academic and financial success. C.R. Sanders wrote concerning attractive people, “their chances of economic success are greater, and they are consistently defined by others as being of high moral character” (Sanders, 1989). When I read that line in Sanders’ book I thought that it applied to me. Growing up I was encouraged to dress in such a way that I would be accepted rather than held back because of my appearance. For example, at one point I considered getting my ears pierced and my father told me not to because it was unprofessional and it would inhibit my career. Accordingly, I made the decision not to get my ears pierced.

 

My personal adornment is also indicative of my personality. I am a modest, slightly shy and socially aware individual. My appearance matches my personality. My appearance and the choices I make support my values and are indicative of my personality. The decisions I make are usually relatively safe and low-risk. I am aware the affect my appearance has on peoples’ perception of me and I dress in such a way that they perceive as I wish to be seen. Clean, conservative, normal and successful.

 

Obviously a lot goes into the word “normal”. My definition of normal is a result of my peer community, which white, American, Christian, middleclass community. Again, I am not religious, but most of the people I associate with are so many of their values and perceptions of normal are extended to me. For example, while I do not think there is anything morally wrong with the use of recreational drugs, I have always refrained from participating in such activities because of what is considered normal in my peer community. My peers believe it is immoral either for religious or legal reasons and because of they are an integral part of my community I am aware of their values and beliefs. I am aware of what they consider to be normal and I tend to act and dress accordingly.

 

My level of adornment has changed over the years. When I was younger I was much more bold and loud with my sense of style than I am now. At one point I had bleacher blond hair that I spiked with hair jell. I preferred relatively flashier clothes than I do now. I think as I have grown I have become more socially aware in such a way that I dress more conservatively to avoid any negative responses. Sanders said that, “Those who choose to modify their bodies in ways that violate appearance norms—or reject culturally prescribed alterations—risk being defined as socially or morally inferior” (Sanders, 1989). While I have never consciously been worried about being perceived as morally inferior, I am afraid to be considered socially inferior or to be socially rejected. So in a sense, my modest appearance is a result of a desire to fit in and to have a sense of security. I seek a sense of security in almost all aspects of my life. Even my choice of career, accounting, is considered one of the top fields for job security.

 

Sanders, C. R. (1989). Introduction: Body Alteration, Artistic Production, and the Social World of Tattooing. In Customizing the Body (Chap. 1). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

Person 1

The first person I observed was a young woman, probably in her early twenties, wearing a black North Face jacket and black leggings/tights. She has Ugg style boots on and is wearing minimal make-up. She has no visible piercings or tattoos and there are very little logos or brands on her apparel. She also has no jewelry on aside from a single necklace around her neck. Her hair is pulled into a ponytail. She is carrying a large backpack that is extremely full.

 

I think that this woman probably is fairly conservative in the sense that she does not appear to be very expressive. I feel this way because of the lack of jewelry and branding. Her conservative appearance also makes me feel that she is probably studying a practical subject rather than liberal arts. The utility and athletic nature of her clothes makes me believe that she is athletic and exercises regularly. Based on the size of her pack-back and relatively serious demeanor I think she is a good student who takes her classes seriously.

 

Person 2

The second person I observed was a young man who I also think is in his early twenties. He is wearing a light, loose fitting blue sweatshirt with USA Olympic logos and the USA flag on it. He is also wearing black and white Nike athletic shorts and grey vans. He has no visible tattoos, piercings, jewelry, or make-up. He was standing next to the woman I previously observed. He had a very short buzz cut. All of his hair was very close in length. His backpack was relatively light and empty.

 

I think the young man has a relaxed demeanor because his is wearing loose fitting athletic clothes with casual shoes. I believe that he is more concerned with being comfortable rather than having a trendy or attractive appearance. I don’t think he is a very serious student because he does not appear to be carrying any books or anything heavy in his backpack. Similar to the woman, I think he is very conservative because some people would describe his appearance as bland. I think he probably comes from a conservative, republican, and Christian home. He is probably fairly patriotic.

 

Person 3

The third person I observed was a man that was likely in his mid thirties. He had a short buzz haircut, a single black hoop earring in each ear, and glasses on. He had three days worth of unshaven facial hair. He was wearing a green jacket, a black polo, black jeans, and black shoes. The green jacket he was wearing had a logo for a veterinary hospital and he appeared to have animal hair on his pants. The shoes appear to be designed for comfort rather than appearance. He has a wedding band on his left ring finger. The wedding band is a plain gold band. He had no visible tattoos.

 

I think this man probably worked at a veterinary hospital based on the hair on his jeans and the jacket he was wearing. He probably dresses for comfort more than appearance because he chose comfortable shoes and pants rather than more formal dress shoes and slacks. This also makes me think he is fairly laid back and humble. I think he is probably married because of the ring he is wearing. His ring is very traditional so I think he is probably fairly conservative and traditional and probably comes from a family with similar values.