Does society limit or hinder women's creativity by telling
them how to dress for their body type? Whether it's finding the perfect pair of
jeans, or party dress society has all the answers as to what you should be
wearing. As a result, women may feel pressured to stick to societal
standards of appropriate dress. In this case their natural creativity may be
suppressed in order to fit in.
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| Magazine suggestions for pear shapes |
In definitions of creativity there’s
an emphasis on the person, their environment, and how
the environment reacts to their ideas. It is safe to say that creativity is a
process by which individuals are influenced. Society influences women on what
they should wear every day. There are the classic sections in magazines
suggesting full figured women to wear clothing with ruching, or slender women to
wear prints in order to give them more shape etc.
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| Wrap dress on a slender, full figured, and petite woman |
I believe
women should be able to wear anything they desire. If the clothing fits and
makes that person feel good, why restrict it to one body shape or size. In
fact, there are numerous outfits, and fabrics that compliment all shapes and
sizes. Sometimes celebrities don’t even listen to these rules. On fashion
television shows you can catch different female celebrities (with different
body types) wearing the same outfit!
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| The same peplum dress is being worn by both celebrities |
The issue
arises when women feel they can’t wear something because society tells them it’s
wrong. Conrad argues that a person’s creativity can be in danger because
the “American society’s reward structures tend to
discourage unconventional thinking and limit risk taking”. Fear of being
innovative can arise as a result of this rejection. Choucroun also stated that in
relation to creativity; fear is “by far the most significant roadblock and it
can be devastating and controlling”.
As a result a woman may wear what is deemed appropriate by
society in order to fit in with the in -group. This idea of fitting in relates
to Tajfel’s social identity theory. The theory states people have a desire to
have a positive self concept and want others to view them favorably. People
place themselves in the in-group which
consists of people who are similar to them, while the outsiders are “often
devalued”. However, in order for that woman to
become part of the in-group she will have to look like she belongs, and society
is dictating how she should look.
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| Celebrities criticized by public for their fashion choices |
In conclusion society’s suggestions for proper dress can
have several debilitating consequences. These women go along with these
standards for fear of rejection. And a multitude of fashionable opportunities
are eliminated while a female’s natural creativity is replaced with the need to
belong.
Questions:
Is society restricting women’s
creativity or helping them wear appropriate clothing for their body type?
Do women who dress according to
societal standards lack creativity, or just express it in another way?
References:
Amabile,
Teresa M. "The Social Psychology Of Creativity: A Componential
Conceptualization." Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology 45.2
(1983): 357-376. PsycARTICLES. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Ryhammar,
Lars, and Catarina Brolin. "Creativity Research: Historical Considerations
And Main Lines Of Development." Scandinavian Journal Of
Educational Research 43.3 (1999): 259.Academic Search Premier.
Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
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