Reading 2

Unit 4- Reading 2

Page 58

Symbolic Clothing

Hundreds of years ago, umbrellas were symbols of power andauthority. Kings, sheikhs, popes, and other rulers believed that owning these sunshades added to their importance. The moreumbrellas a ruler acquired, the more he impressed others; and, by analogy, the bigger his umbrellas, the more power the owner appeared to have.

It seems odd to us today that such an everyday object could have once been used to differentiate rulers from ordinary people. Yet at that time, an umbrella was an unambiguous symbol of power. Similarly, contemporary cultures today employ many common items, including clothing, as symbols of social status.

IN UNIVERSITIES

The academic cap and gown is one example of symbolic clothing. Hundreds of years ago, university students were required to wear long, black robes. Today academic robes are usually worn only for graduation ceremonies, along with a special cap. Many universities have developed their own traditional style and color of cap and gown.

For example, at some universities, students wear a close-fitting cap topped by a flat square. A tassel, which is a bundle of long silk strings, hangs from the square. By convention, students begin the graduation ceremony with the tassel hanging from the left side of the square.

Once a university administrator declares that the students have officially graduated, they move their tassels to the right side of the square to indicate their new change of status. Graduating students also wear collars or sashes of cloth over their gowns, whereby their field of academic specialization is indicated via color. These Colors vary among universities and countries. For example, in Spain a gold cloth symbolizes medicine, while in the United States a green cloth symbolizes medicine.

IN CIVIL COURTS OF LAW

For example, in the civil courts of law in many countries, judges wear long robes, usually black, that cover their ordinary clothing. The robes identify the judges’ role in the courtroom and symbolize their authority to administer justice.

The gavel that judges rap to convene court and maintain order is another such symbol of authority. In Britain and in most Commonwealth nations, judges and certain court officials also wear white wigs that symbolize their roles.

AMONG ROYALTY

Similarly, the ceremonial clothing of kings and queens is symbolic of their royal status. The most common symbol of royal status is a crown. The crown is placed on the head of the new monarch during a formal ceremony. He or she usually wears a beautiful cape made of fur, feathers, or delicate material for the event.

WEDDING SYMBOLS

A wedding, too, is a change—of-status ceremony. Traditional clothing is usually an integral part of the ritual. In a conventional Western wedding, the bride wears a long, white dress. She also wears a white veil on her head and carries a bouquet of flowers.

Her clothing and various accessories (which may be hidden) constitute traditional good- luck items that a bride should wear. These include “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a lucky penny in her shoe.” An important part of the ceremony is the exchange of wedding rings. These circles of gold or silver have no ending, and symbolize the lifetime relationship the bride and groom are about to begin.

The symbolism of the white wedding dress is so strong that brides from many non—Western cultures have chosen to include such a dress in their weddings. An Asian bride, for example, might wear a red gown during a traditional wedding ceremony and then change into a stylish white wedding dress for the celebration that follows.

UNIFORMS

A uniform identifies the occupation and status of many workers. In the civil sector of society, for example, police officers and fire fighters wear uniforms. So do waiters and waitresses, airline pilots and cabin stewards, and nurses and dental assistants. With the exception of fire fighters, these people could do their jobs just as efficiently in ordinary clothing.

A uniform, however, serves two important purposes. First, a uniform differentiates these workers from other people. A uniform is one way whereby the workers can be easily identified by others. Second, a uniform is a symbol of authority, which gives people confidence in the Workers. Another item of clothing that is somewhat of a uniform is the tall, white hat worn by chefs. This hat conventionally symbolizes the chef’s position of authority in the context of a restaurant kitchen.

Military personnel, too, wear uniforms, but different types. One type is for everyday wear, and another is the formal uniform worn for military ceremonies. A third type is worn in battle. Military uniforms serve several symbolic functions.

First, the various decorations on a uniform jacket and hat are indexes of a member’s rank in the military. Second, uniforms encourage members of a group to acquire a sense of unity and pride. Finally, in the context of a battle, uniforms become symbols of the nation the soldiers are defending.

Symbolic clothing can symbolize many things, including authority, nationality and change of status. Often the original significance of the as clothing has been forgotten or has changed over time, yet societies continue to respect the conventional symbolism.

Other clothing, such as the white wedding dress, became symbolic somewhat recently, yet is still considered traditional. The objects and clothing that become important symbols in a culture are determined by the special meaning that people give them.