Feminism in fashion: wearing a uniform
Introduction“Feminism meant different things to different women, and not all were ready to abandon traditional ideals of gender roles.” (Moon, 2011, p. 121)This dissertation will explore the relationship between obligatory uniforms and the possibility of hidden identities being perceived within this. With a particular emphasis on how the cut of these garments could give the impression that the female wearer defines a lack of confidence. It will discuss the development the changing evolution of women’s increasing participation in subjects previously exclusive to men has had. With this progressing into whether male and female are equal in their job roles and the amount of power this gives them to succeed further, giving the evolving public what they need.
The first chapter of this dissertation will examine whether wearing a uniform may be seen as a perception of having a hidden identity. It will explore the impact these uniforms have on the public, some of the reasons why this may be perceived and analyse how people can demonstrate their confidence or lack of through the practice of these garments with the definition it shares with the wearer.
It will also inspect the variety of this uniform used both recently and historically taking into consideration its production and design methods used to create these pieces with particular emphasis on mass production which may not have been used in earlier years when sewing machines hadn’t yet been invented, primarily reducing manufacture time. The link between the military look as a fashion trend and its technicality demonstrate a focus as to these garments becoming more desirable garments due to trend forecasting reasons rather than for its ability to allow civilisation to recognise these people as ones they can turn to for security.
The second chapter of this dissertation will look into the strong link between sex and identity within the army recruitment process. With highlighting the history of the approach to this procedure, from its traditional beginnings to how these types of job roles have had to evolve, in order to both maintain equal rights as well as to continue to expand this profession, fundamentally advantaging the world’s population. This will further look at the evolution of women’s uniforms and their increasing participation in areas of activities previously limited to men. Considering the changes the production industry has incurred over the years, with mass production and changing technology allowing uniform to become a quick way of these well sought after people to maintain an equal level of respect. Looking at some of the variations of these uniforms across the different industries and exploring factors of this, including benefits in the forever evolving world of today
It will discuss the impact the recruitment process as a whole has had on its bulk recruitment with how they have adapted to engage all potential workers, further exploring how this has aided more capabilities and advantages within these crucial fields. Some of these including; fire fighters, police officers, emergency services, paramilitary organisations and security guards as well as army based job roles. Each of these aimed to reduce negative subjects such as crime within the world and questioning whether equal recruitment of both sexes is at its fairest and how this industry is one that is ripe for further development due to the aforementioned factors.
The third chapter of this dissertation will address some of the reasons the choice of enforcing a uniform may have been and its effects as well as indicating how the change to the status of women has been reflected through the use of clothing.
This will further provide the reader with an insight on why this particular cut has been chosen to be the uniform across many industries. It will aim to show the impact of these garments, such as the representation and authority of these organisations and the garments it shares, introducing its major platforms.
Investigating some of the reasons why society may insist on the younger generation dressing in such a way as to not express their own individuality when not in uniform. Focusing on the theme of the cut of these uniformed garments and the confidence it is able to give to its wearer, through a particular emphasis on different ranks of both genders through many of these industries.
The fourth chapter of this dissertation will examine the effects compulsory uniform has on a person’s identity in looking at some of the numerous factors concerning this. Some of these including the reasons behind these job roles being seen as more male dominated, through the angular cut of the garments being identified, the fabrics regarding this, e.g. softer fabrics not being incorporated which may be more concerned within female influence and with the additional idea of scrubs which hospitalised environments may use which focus on these male liberated choices.
Further investigating why in people having self-doubt in their selves, the reasons in which a uniform can help to hide this and how this has given better access to these industries in identifying these individuals as ones who have a huge impact on the world, with ideas on some of the reasons this may occur.
Continuing the development into how self-confidence can be seen as overly confident, or as equally self-confident to people. This can be demonstrated through the ways in which people may hide their true identity and exploring how these factors are also affected by the continuing development of this uniform and its advances.
The fifth chapter and final chapter of this dissertation will consider how these uniforms demonstrate a feeling of comfort and confidence towards the wearer from an alternative perspective. Focusing on how the cut of these garments, being quite a masculine one could be a main factor towards females feeling less confident than a male might as well as introducing why the public might feel safer around somebody in a uniform. Through the examination of economics, in looking at the variations of this uniform through the years and how this has had an impact on the continuing development of these garments, the power it gives us and the technology used to produce this are all factors this subject will discover. With the fluidity of school uniform being introduced and exploration into whether this is cut to fit both sexes and the reasons in which this may have been presented.
The aim of this dissertation is therefore to establish how the cut of uniformed garments have evolved compared to that of the past, and how these can have an effect on the people wearing them, adapting the population’s views on engaging with them.
In order to achieve this, the objectives will be to:
•Evaluate how these differentiated consumers within such a job role feel and any affects it has had on their current lifestyle
•Access the current views on how confidence can be a factor through the use of these garments, especially the cut
•Explore how the use of uniform has adapted to be able to engage more females, expanding both equality in the work place and increasing authority for the public’s safety and security
•Analyse the extent which these uniforms utilise power to its consumer and evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks this may result in
•To identity whether the cut of these garments has been exploited to the best of its potential and if it should be a significant part of the public’s engagement with people within these industries
