© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

9/1/1981 - Dress Codes by Kendal B. Price

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Rottanburg Guesthouse Smnerfields Fansion Road Dress Codes Glenhazel R S A September Peter Bird Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hsnover New Hampshire 03755 Dear Peter In New York City before I predominant clothing styles fitting slacks usually accompanied stylishly scruffy T shirt This attire often young women young Pointed blsck shoes apparently mandatory In Paris where I briefly South Africa fashion similarly unappealing except oredictable French inclination modify their dress favor femininity masculinity Paris women everything which somewhat whole better looking footwear their American counterparts Nen Frenc capital sported comfortable looking loafers often sneakers Drobably beause aware fashion conscious French girls basketball shoes court either comical unmasculine Looking silly fashion never stopped women culture wearing someone style However clothing French spell macho capital letters isappears without trace Thus imagine surprise disappointment arriving Johannesburg cosmopolitan nonetheless African I should majority people dress unimaginatively conformist cities mentioned above For starters young comes Nrs Rottanburg Guesthouse c_lean Andrias Buthele wearing loose fitting jttmpsuit basketball sneakers first I Very practical I thought extremely popular jumpsuits I windows Paris New York shops although olive currently THE color there Kendal Price Fellow Institute Southern Africs He currently studying cultures South Africa Black African Homelands However Buthelei wearing clothes again while short around neighborhood subsequent drive center I literally hundreds dressed exact same_ bright umpsuit sneakers Nr BUthelezi tartling conformity I thought I Africans enjoyed vivid clors I never imagined there would enjoying color Yet assure doubting I immense store called Hypermarket every seventy check counters woman register bright woman groceries white bonnet Then after emerging store I confronted sight group perhaps dozen picking field All wearing bight orange overalls exception length white The footwear I being these people range previously described comical looking snesders slippers Well casual shoes In ontras obvious oerhaDs pride these women appeared their colored overgarments their shoes obvious concession eomfort style When style again suddenly dawned homogeneitv attire possibly shion conformity dress In which colors clothing moncern oeoole their appearance considerably sense As I theught bending sesrching extensively refuse became evident bright orange coveralls excellent choice helping avoid getting while working Also while entirely practical white supervisor serves unmistokable reminder cleanliness which strive gentle helpful reminder I alize theft jumpsuits apDronriate color domestic groundskeeping While clearly visible amidst browns greens little inside color comolimentary contemperary decors distincly proletiran On other outfits women working HyDermsrket contribute orderliness impersonal store clearly define Of course responsibility level KBP I there being obvious hierarchy ssocited colors dress makes clothing would Gurely would choose forfeit rights nrivilages accorded their color After severs I began wonderriously I would neople dressing styles other those which their position deDeuded Fortmately question Thursday wh_en I sight another fashion phenomenon quite spare revolution certainly should I Shuffle Y Ou Thursdays Bheilas apostrophe Day T Sheilas girls women families namuies their afternoom given their shopping visiting While visiting congregating ianother thing loocs tremendous numbers stops I hanCe their particular varis tions raher unius oirBd basic working outfit I remember clearly consisted broad dresses tucked waist matching complimentarily colored prons Bonnets turbans scarves about The overall impression I eived clothing these women generally higher cuality finer clothing other workers Except Dairs occasional wearing identical outfits which probably indicates employment household there considerable variety obviously financ allotmens employers clothing women Such provisions sensible because brightly dresse tBrefore cheerf nanny known nroper emotional cultural development children under Of cottrse there minority group wears stonishing selectioH lates Paris New York fashions times Ye their creativity selection clothing sufferfomaform hierarchical restric In though their choice automobiles It anpears defining their osition relation another confine themselves purchasing expensive German carms fulfilling minimum requirements THEIR dress The particlar selection limited number models vailable within established It rtunate caught restrictiveness D arallel majority I pursue issue further being minority member myself while symathetic I uiekly created problems minority groups realize their rticulsr circumstances KBP I Several ister I continued searc evidence cultura diversity throh ttire while taking arotud neighborhood I nearly bumped people I difficulty recogniing I trouble identifying being identify oeople terribly iortant because their clothing different I The collision occurred because nighttime It became known evening likel observe personal ttire these confined observer would rather strict Therefore I forced conclude entire situation pitiable shame becsuse 0ware extremely diffict distinguish colors models Bincerely Kenda B Received Hanover