[Unique_Princess]

Hey everyone!

I have an essay due in for May 8th and I was wondering if I could get some opinions. The essay is:

“How does dress define identity? Chose one example (either contemporary or historical) and discuss in detail.”

So I was thinking of writing on Muslim women and the hijab, as it is a topic I'm familiar with and can relate to, wearing a hijaab myself. Just wanted to know your opinions on this question of how dress defines identity. Need some examples though! Thanks guysssssss!!!!!

Love alwaysssss

xxxxxx

[RaNi iS ThE BeS]

I'm loaded right now, can't think straight…

Are you asking religious-wise?

But umm…dress defines identity cuz it shows who you are. Muslim women have the hijaab and the whole modest attire. You can recognize a Muslim woman by her attire.

and the Muslim men by their beard…

Also, in culture, people dress a certain way…like the shalwaar kamees and the pathani salwaar…and the lehngas…most Americans wear Jeans…lmao, I heard something funny about how the British dress…

(my sister is so friggin annoyed/mad about the fact that Aishwarya didn't invite Shah RUkh Khan to her wedding, she won't stop talking about it. lmao)

hmm…what else…dude, this crack that I'm on needs to go to hell…

okay I'll stop. I'm so sorry Tayba ji…

[vchenoah]

Unique_princess:

I have an essay due in for May 8th and I was wondering if I could get some opinions. The essay is:

“How does dress define identity? Chose one example (either contemporary or historical) and discuss in detail.”

May I read it once it's completed Princess?

[boo]

May I, too, please? Read it once it's completed, that is?

Uhh… how does dress define identity… (random thoughts from my head, here… forgive me if they don't make sense!)

Well, in history… like in Elizabethan times in England (do not know why this example comes to mind but it does… and I don't know a lot about it, I warn you now), the way people dressed reflected their social status (historical). Parallels to the attitudes in dressing between Elizabethan times and certain societies nowadays can easily be seen – richer you are, prettier you dress… like we have designer labels now, as opposed to whatever frills and fancies they had in Elizabethan times..

Perhaps a major difference between then and now is that it perhaps played more of a key role then, than it does now. Dress perhaps acted as an imaginary line that was drawn between people of different social statuses… whereas nowadays, especially in the West, the different 'groups' of people are slowly merging together… in the East, dress probably plays a more significant role in defining identity, and creating these imaginary lines, than in the West… and I say this because (a layperson's viewpoint, I must admit) there is a more distinct class divide in desi countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, etc.. which could be due to the fact that there is a – generally speaking – wider range of the spectrum of societies in the East than there is in the West. I am not saying that the West doesn't have poor people, or anything… I am just saying that the divide is perhaps more distinct.. and maybe this is because Eastern countries are considered poor (Third World), whereas the West is generally perceived as rich. Maybe this means that since people in the west are generally richer than the people in the east, it is hard to find a very distinct class structure in there, than it is in the east, where although they are generally poor, there are some extremely rich people around..

I'm not saying that there isn't some sort of a divide based on wealth (i.e. a 'class' structure) in the west… for instance, in the US, the southern states are considered to be generally poorer (for a variety of reasons ranging from the fact that it is a more rural landscape to the fact that there is greater 'industry' in the north), and east Germany is considered poorer (even now, 16/17 – can't be bothered doing the calculation! – years after Deutschland became one after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 89) than west Germany, and so on and so forth.

But I think generally speaking, the divide is greater in the east than in the west, where when you walk on a street, the social status of the person is more evident than if you walk on the streets in the west. Or, of course, I am rambling on pointlessly and I need to get my facts straight before yapping away… I did warn you I am thinking out loud. lol.

Before you start talking about how dress defines identity, perhaps you could do some research into why “dress” was brought into society in the first place.. Adam and Eve (who supposedly existed) walked around naked on the Earth… we started out naked, our ancestors, tens of thousands (? figures, I am unsure of) years ago… but somehow, we have evolved from wanting to dress for maybe warmth/shelter/protection/whatever… into beings that are conscious of baring our body parts to other human beings… and somehow,

[Unique_Princess]

heyy girl

thank u for ur replyy! and for all the Islamic quotes you gave me. Yeah for sure the hijab is definetly an identity. OYE what did you hear about the way us brits dress eh?! lol isn't the whole “gitwey” thing enuf! hahaaha, mockney =P

[Unique_Princess]

Nessa:

Unique_princess:

I have an essay due in for May 8th and I was wondering if I could get some opinions. The essay is:

“How does dress define identity? Chose one example (either contemporary or historical) and discuss in detail.”

May I read it once it's completed Princess?

Ofcourse you can!

[Unique_Princess]

boo:

May I, too, please? Read it once it's completed, that is?

Uhh… how does dress define identity… (random thoughts from my head, here… forgive me if they don't make sense!)

Well, in history… like in Elizabethan times in England (do not know why this example comes to mind but it does… and I don't know a lot about it, I warn you now), the way people dressed reflected their social status (historical). Parallels to the attitudes in dressing between Elizabethan times and certain societies nowadays can easily be seen – richer you are, prettier you dress… like we have designer labels now, as opposed to whatever frills and fancies they had in Elizabethan times..

Perhaps a major difference between then and now is that it perhaps played more of a key role then, than it does now. Dress perhaps acted as an imaginary line that was drawn between people of different social statuses… whereas nowadays, especially in the West, the different 'groups' of people are slowly merging together… in the East, dress probably plays a more significant role in defining identity, and creating these imaginary lines, than in the West… and I say this because (a layperson's viewpoint, I must admit) there is a more distinct class divide in desi countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, etc.. which could be due to the fact that there is a – generally speaking – wider range of the spectrum of societies in the East than there is in the West. I am not saying that the West doesn't have poor people, or anything… I am just saying that the divide is perhaps more distinct.. and maybe this is because Eastern countries are considered poor (Third World), whereas the West is generally perceived as rich. Maybe this means that since people in the west are generally richer than the people in the east, it is hard to find a very distinct class structure in there, than it is in the east, where although they are generally poor, there are some extremely rich people around..

I'm not saying that there isn't some sort of a divide based on wealth (i.e. a 'class' structure) in the west… for instance, in the US, the southern states are considered to be generally poorer (for a variety of reasons ranging from the fact that it is a more rural landscape to the fact that there is greater 'industry' in the north), and east Germany is considered poorer (even now, 16/17 – can't be bothered doing the calculation! – years after Deutschland became one after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 89) than west Germany, and so on and so forth.

But I think generally speaking, the divide is greater in the east than in the west, where when you walk on a street, the social status of the person is more evident than if you walk on the streets in the west. Or, of course, I am rambling on pointlessly and I need to get my facts straight before yapping away… I did warn you I am thinking out loud. lol.

Before you start talking about how dress defines identity, perhaps you could do some research into why “dress” was brought into society in the first place.. Adam and Eve (who supposedly existed) walked around naked on the Earth… we started out naked, our ancestors, tens of thousands (? figures, I am unsure of) years ago… but somehow, we have evolved from wanting to dress for maybe

[Unique_Princess]

Thank you for your replies ppl!!! x

[boo]

lol hahahaha… taybbaaaa…

I'd love to hear your views on what I've said… 'tis an interesting topic… and may I read the thing once it's done?

[Mukesh]

vedy vedy interesting Boo…

Well me wants to read it once its done tooo Taybz…

[Mukesh]

oh one more thing before I leave

I just wanted to say wrt above topic:

I disagree…

I do not believe that DRESS defines identity…

will revert with reasons when am in a more composed frame…of mind hahahaa

but me still wants to read it when its complete …okies Taybz

[RaNi iS ThE BeS]

boo:

Before you start talking about how dress defines identity, perhaps you could do some research into why “dress” was brought into society in the first place.. Adam and Eve (who supposedly existed) walked around naked on the Earth… we started out naked, our ancestors, tens of thousands (? figures, I am unsure of) years ago… but somehow, we have evolved from wanting to dress for maybe warmth/shelter/protection/whatever… into beings that are conscious of baring our body parts to other human beings… and somehow, as we perhaps became more conscious, the idea of dressing metamorphosised into something we do for fashion… and in between all this, religion has played a part in dressing, too… in some aspect or the other, dress has been used by religion, too… as a symbol of faith/devotion, etc.

That is incorrect, boo.

Adam (Peace be upon him) and Hawa(Eve)(Peace be upon her) never walked around naked on the Earth. Even in Heaven they had clothes on, but after they both ate from the forbidden tree, their clothes started to rip off of them and they started to sew leaves together to make some kind of clothing for themselves so that they can cover themselves up.

Just wanted to clear that up.

[RaNi iS ThE BeS]

Unique_princess:

heyy girl

thank u for ur replyy! and for all the Islamic quotes you gave me. Yeah for sure the hijab is definetly an identity. OYE what did you hear about the way us brits dress eh?! lol isn't the whole “gitwey” thing enuf! hahaaha, mockney =P

You're welcome, Tayba. A good thing I sent them to you too, cuz I need them now, and it's already put together for me.

I heard that the British guys dress errmm “g-a-y” lmao. I'm not saying I agree, but that's what I heard. haha. and no, “gitwey” was never enuf.

Tayba, remember how I told you I also have to write a research paper?…I knew I wanted to do it about Hijaab, since I myself am the only Muslim in my entire school who wears a Hijaab, and I thought to kind of explain it..you know? But I wasn't exactly sure what my thesis should be. So I talked about it with my teacher and she said I should do it on If Muslim women are really oppressed. And she said I should go on from there. And I really liked the idea becuz this whole idea of Muslim women being oppressed is rubbish…but yeah, what do you think, Tayba?

[kavita_0026]

Tayabaji

do you have a copy of this paper i want to read it

and might i add – boo you are a very good writer!

[vchenoah]

I enjoyed ur paper Princess. Can't wait to discuss it when you return!

Hope ur having a blast!

[kavita_0026]

you read it?!

I want to read it Tayaba!!!!

BTW..how was CANADA!!!!!!!!!! i hope you remember me telling you to watch out for them canadian boys ahemm hotness comes with a price most times

how did it go..? meeting shereena in real life?! wish i cud meet some of ya'll in real l ife myself

mwahs

[vchenoah]

Yes Kavi, I read it…and loved it! The Princess is a wonderful student.

Saw the most beautiful Desi male in Canada some time back! Looked as if he was painted, he was so perfect. I thought I felt the earth move, then realized I was standing next to Niagara Falls! hahaha!

[kavita_0026]

Hahaha you crack me up but geesh …. didnt know such guys existed thatNess would think they're perfect

oo whats canada like ! i've been hearing pple going there forsummer and all ! is it true that it snowws there like..all the time ?

'course she is a wonderful student – Tabz! send that paper over a.s.a.p !

[Mukesh]

hmmm Taybz, send me a copy of yr essay as well

wanna read it…

[Unique_Princess]

kavita_0026:

you read it?!

I want to read it Tayaba!!!!

BTW..how was CANADA!!!!!!!!!! i hope you remember me telling you to watch out for them canadian boys ahemm hotness comes with a price most times

how did it go..? meeting shereena in real life?! wish i cud meet some of ya'll in real l ife myself

mwahs

Heyyy hun. Canada was GR8! had so much fun! lol hotness? I am so not feeling that right now. lol I think I need to be pampered or something 😐

me n reeny didn't meet! she lives too far!

will send u the essay online xx

[Unique_Princess]

Ness:

Yes Kavi, I read it…and loved it! The Princess is a wonderful student.

Saw the most beautiful Desi male in Canada some time back! Looked as if he was painted, he was so perfect. I thought I felt the earth move, then realized I was standing next to Niagara Falls! hahaha!

Why thank you ness! My stupid a.ss hole teacher who marked it didn't seem to think so though 😐 she's marked everyone's paper very harshly I hear… but its not too bad I guess.

Lmao about the beautiful desi guy. I didn't see many!

[Unique_Princess]

I want to send the essay as a PM but it has pictures attached, bare with me people while I figure out a way lol x

[boo]

BEAR!

[SenorJalapeno]

I like this thread. Princess ji, I am new around here and if you would like to offer the paper to a relative stranger, I would be grateful.

[Yemenilicious]

I read your essay Tayba ji.

It's awesome, Mashallah.

[Unique_Princess]

thanks to those of you who liked it!

hey everyone, I will PM my essay to you all individually because I don't want my academic work up on the net where people can google “how dress defines identity” and use my essay. Hope ya understand . Once I get the photo problem sorted, I'll send it round. x

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