“All Nature is but Art, unknown to thee;
All Chance, Direction, which thou canst not see;
All Discord, Harmony, not understood;
All partial Evil, universal Good:
And, spite of Pride, in erring Reason’s spite,
One truth is clear, “Whatever IS, is RIGHT” “
Essay on Man
Alexander Pope
In the frequently quoted Polonius’s advice to his son, Laertes in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, I remember there are some lines reading like this: “Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy- But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy- For the apparel often proclaims the man.” Though the times are as different as they can be that the apparel often proclaims the man is accepted and believed even today in this ultra-modern society. Or to be more precise, it is a universal truth. Needless to mention, this very expression means that the dress plays quite a central role in the civilized world.
A basic need
Even a fourth grader knows we wear dresses primarily to protect ourselves from extreme heat, excessive cold, dust, and the like and to cover the privates. Though it is doubtful whether all the people wear dresses for the second purpose( considering, of course, the skimpy clothes some women in general, and some celebrities in particular wear today in the name of fashion), it is certainly true that few people can do without clothes when it comes to the first purpose. Decidedly dress protects people from serious health hazards in addition to providing comfort, and some attractiveness.
A symbol of status
Dress, I hope few people will disagree with me, is sometimes a symbol of status. The well-dressed passenger who gets into a bus engaged in public transportation, will be treated less impolitely by the conductor than the betel-chewing, humble man clad in a cheap sarong and a faded shirt; the elegantly dressed lady who happens to enter a government office to get something done, will be less delayed than the shabbily dressed woman who come to the same office to get the same thing done (there are, of course, ways and means of getting things done without delay in some government offices which are otherwise rife with dilatory staff). Admittedly, however all the human beings are more or less biased towards the physical attractiveness to which one’s dress and deportment makes a huge contribution. Also, dress reflects one’s social status and more specifically one’s personality. All this will eventually boil down, undoubtedly, to physical attractiveness.
A popular myth
There is, unfortunately, a popular myth among the not so educated people that western dress is superior to national dress. This I regard as a stupid lie since to my knowledge western dress is western dress and national dress is national dress. How can, then, western dress be superior to national dress or vice versa? If someone looks down on national dress or those who wear it, I must say that person is a perfect simpleton. Besides, in my humble opinion, a fool is a fool whether he is clad in western dress or national dress; a knave will always be a knave whether he wears a
sarong or a pair of trousers; and a gentleman will always be a gentleman whether he wears coat and trousers or sarong and shirt.
Preference
Every individual is unique and has a unique set of preferences. So according to one’s preference or taste one may choose to wear either national dress or western dress. Some people, therefore, may prefer western dress to national dress or vice versa. A broad minded person will not rate such preferences; instead he will find out why people wear one kind of dress rather than the other. An intelligent person, when choosing what to wear, will take into account such factors as cost, comfort, climate, and occasion. For example, it will be extremely ludicrous for a man to walk in the sweltering heat, wearing a heavy black coat and a pair of trousers. This may sometimes be all about commonsense; the truth, you will agree with me, is too plain to ignore on such occasions as this. But if people deliberately choose to suffer for one reason or another, I suppose, it is hardly our business to try to correct them. Even if we were to preach them, I doubt, if they would ever listen to us let alone follow our sensible advice.
Cultural influence
Culture often influences on a person’s dress. When one wears a certain type of dress, it may be criticized or appreciated or simply ignored by others who are driven by beliefs and attitudes which culture itself inculcates in them. So what is downright insignificant in the European culture may create more or less controversy in an Asian context. This explains why one should dress oneself in keeping with the cultural realities. But, again I believe we need not be too insular in the matter of culture which is just another man- made, abstract concept with nebulous boundaries. So may I presume to ask, ’Can’t a maker be a changer?’ It is better beyond doubt if we can wear dresses which are always consonant with the deep-rooted beliefs which culture has created in people’s minds; but if culture puts undue restraint (which I believe it very rarely does) on our lives in the name of tradition or morality, we should not forget that culture itself is a man-made concept and man himself has every right to change or adjust it so that it suits the day’s needs. In doing so, however, we must remember not to exceed the limits of morality.
Conclusion
Frankly, I have seen many a fool garbed in western dress; many wise men clad in national dress. Likewise, I have seen many a knave clad in national dress; many great men clad in western dress. So, all in all, I believe it is not what one wears that really matters but what one does for one’s family, one’s village, one’s country, and the whole humanity at large. Therefore, though a man may wear the purest white all the time, and may set himself an example for others, propagating patriotism, if he is a good-for -nothing fellow, he will be none but a good- for- nothing fellow himself. Before I conclude my article, I would also like to remind my fellow readers that president Abraham Lincoln wore coat and trouser in the American style, that Mahathma Gandhi wore loin cloth in a very different style, that Mother Theresa wore white saree in the Indian style, that president Premadasa wore national dress in the Sri Lankan style, that they served their own countries and world in their own style, and that people remember more what they did for them than what they wore!
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