How Thoughtless- The act of "Making Special"

Making special is such an innate trait for humans we participate in the behavior everyday without thinking.  The act of  “making special” acknowledges the dimensions of reality that we overlay with the physical; making special acknowledges, reveals, and embodies this reality (Dissanayake). Every morning when we get dressed we participate in this process of making things special.  We are embellishing ourselves.

Clothes mentally makes our bodies sacrosanct, more then that of the bare animal.  Physically there is no difference in our flesh but by the process of dressing add a layer of meaning to the reality which is our bodies.  Our clothes help us express our identity. Why else do we feel like part of us is missing when suddenly stripped of our cotton armor?

This morning as I rolled out of bed and stumbled my closet, I mentally assemble a list of my requirements for the day that I will then apply to my wardrobe. Field school was easy; everyday I needed to be practical and warm to portray the hard worker I wished to be seen as. On slipped woolen socks, cargo pants to hold my gloves, trowl, and write in the rain, a plain shirt, warm vest, gortex jacket and a wide brimmed hat. My clothes embody the reality that I was experiencing, expressing my situation to anyone who observed. In the everyday, where the realistic components of getting dressed are less pronounced, the emotional components become more defined. Once I reached my closest, my mental list of this morning included the idea that I wished to been seen as simple, feminine and collected. Out I pulled a long sweater dress, long socks, and a loose strand of pearls.  Had I wish to be seen as outgoing, young and intellectual, out would have come well fitted pants, a white collared shirt, heeled boots and distinctive earrings made at the bead shop in town.  Though none of the objects I have pull out of my closet were particularly special, the manor in which they are worn are part of  highlighting an identify, a reality for the day.

We emphasis the traits which we wish people to view first and foremost. And we do so both by what we wear and by what we choose not to. Both the negative and the positive choice illustrates that for the day, whether we are cheerful or glum, flamboyant or reserved.  We can display strength, fragility, practically, femininity, or maturity.  

Humans recognize and respond to special, which is another key component of the role of our modern wardrobes.  Thought most of the items we dress ourselves in are mass-produced and sold to hundreds, we dress with the goal of making ourselves unique. Crossing our fingers everyday that we will not see someone else in the pattern of items as ourselves. Its a subconscious process more often then not. 

As stated by Ellen D., applying ornamental designs to the body is one of the oldest instances of making special; how we get dressed is simply an extension of that.