Issue #14 - Shade
I like the shade! Lately, the days have been cooling down and I'm feeling much better. I like that I can actually walk outside without getting horribly overwhelmed by the feeling of my skin on my clothes. The best clothes will always be the most functional clothes. Aestheticism is important, though.
I do think a lot about how to dress. It's an unfortunate but true reality - how you dress is very important. People will judge you very differently based on the way you dress. And, in this world, if you can change that perception, you have a disproportionate leverage / advantage vs. people who are not making use of this effect. I guess, still, what sort of effect do you want to have on others? Is this "manipulative", i.e. is this something that's even worth considering / "planning"?
Historically, I've basically answered the second question (is fashion manipulative?) with a resounding yes. To counter this, I've put no thought into what I wear. That doesn't mean I didn't care about how I dressed, that juts means I would not shop for myself - gifted and thrifted clothes always had precedent over self-purchased items. Additionally, I just tried to see past the sorts of biased I had with myself. Unfortunately, I think this put in reversal rather than freedom (I am biased against suits now, and too friendly toward crackheads).
But, like the teenager denouncing philosophy, I had created another monster in the wake of that which I sought to destroy. I pridefully cut the Hydra's head as two more grew in it's wake.
So, what now? I guess I'll try and use it to my advantage. There's perhaps a less "moralistic" view of of the situation too. I simply feel cooler wearing cool clothes. Perhaps another extension of the second answer could be to wear clothes that I have made.
But as I think of it, the last thing the fashion industry needs is more clothes in the world. I'd rather buy cool stuff second hand and wear it until it dies. I had another heuristic about fashion - only purchase that which you could realistically see yourself owning until your deathbed. I've probably already failed at this, but I'll continue to keep it in mind.
Final comments: prefer a sustainable, smaller wardrobe of custom-fit, high-quality clothing. Prefer mixing and matching to create new outfits rather than buying new pieces all the time. Prioritize useability rather than aestheticism, but hold that beauty is important. Do not judge others too harshly based on their fashion, but take note of it. Physical health is more important than fashion could ever be.