Gemma Spake

Before you've even spoken, like your outfit can signal to other people, I see myself as this kind of person or I see myself as one of you or I want to be seen as one of you or as one of these kinds of people.

Clothing and the role it plays in social cohesion and social conformity is another major piece of this puzzle.

So much of personal style is tied up in who we want to align with.

Subcultures, subgroups, little tribes with their own codes and aesthetics and shared references and their own music tastes and values and political views.

You know, a band tee isn't just a band tee.

It's a sign of the world or the subgroup that you're in.

And with that becomes a lot of information about certain likes or dislikes.

A particular hiking shoe.

It's not just a shoe.

It's a signal that you love the outdoors, but you also love the city and that these are the two sides of you like blending in together and

There is something for everybody in that sense.

A certain silhouette isn't just a silhouette.

It can reference a scene, an era, a movement, a set of beliefs about class, about what gender even means.

Clothes are as political and as psychological as they are fun.

And where we can really see that is in women's athleisure wear trends.

You know, the rise of conservatism came at the same time as the rise of

in Pilates wear, and in pink matching sets, and ballet silhouettes, things that are very traditionally feminine.

Now what's trending more in this day and age is, especially for women, trekking pants, double-stacked sports bras, practical hardcore hiking shoes like Gore-Tex,

it's like this real signal of that pushback right this pushback against traditional feminine ideals the fight back the literal protest against authoritarianism that is like taking place in the world you can really read a lot about what is happening in society based on fashion trends and based on where people kind of present themselves on the spectrum everything you choose to wear

has a message contained if you look for it.