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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Clothes for the Occasion

Here is another essay I wrote for our writing class. It is a “division and classification” essay. Basically, you have to pick a topic, preferably a noun, that you can divide and describe accordingly. From the list we were given, I chose “clothes”. I thought it was simple enough for the condition I was in the at the time. I was, as usual, swamped with work and assignments. I’m not undermining the subject, but the topic meant, again, little research (I’m sorry I’m so lazy sometimes). Besides, to put it briefly, I like clothes. Again, I hope this can be a reference to some people who need to create this kind of essay. 

Clothes for the Occasion

To me, clothes are not just pieces of cloth that cover the body. Their function is not merely to protect your skin from direct sun rays or the sting of the cold air in winter. More than that, I think they make a statement of who you are. Thus, I can express myself through what I wear and I get a sense of enjoyment from mix and matching the clothes that I have. However, like most young women, I have a lot of clothes and my wardrobe is gigantic. Based on that fact alone, it is hard to find certain items when I need them. However, this does not become a problem for me because I arrange all my clothes into certain groups and place them in my wardrobe accordingly. The division is based on a certain functionality of the clothes which is “occasion”, and therefore classified into 3 major groups: everyday clothes, going-out clothes, and formal party clothes.

The largest section of the wardrobe is probably for this first group, my everyday clothes. It consists of clothes that I wear for my daily activities, which can be more specifically divided into clothes that I wear to campus, clothes that I wear to teach classes in the afternoons, and clothes that I wear at home or more efficiently labeled as pajamas. These clothes are usually quite straightforward and conventional. There are plain blouses and neat-cut trousers for work. Alternatively, I have various long-sleeved shirts and jeans for school. I allow myself to wear bright colors and prints to campus just for fun, but nothing flashy or extravagant is appropriate. Then there is a large pile devoted to baggy, comfortable clothes to wear at the end of the day when I am ready for bed.

The second largest section of the wardrobe is for my going-out clothes. The clothes within this section, as the name suggests, are for special occasions such as a day at the mall with my friends and going to the movies. This may be my favorite section because it is filled with bold color and vibrant patterns. There are asymmetric shirts, frilly skirts, and baggy trousers with unique prints. This is the section that encourages a streak of creativity for the mixing and matching process to create an outfit that is both attractive and totally me.

The last group takes up the least space in my wardrobe because it is just for one type of occasion: formal parties. How often does a young lady attend weddings or formal dinners in a year? There are only a dozen of such occasions if you ask me. However, I do enjoy attending these events to the point that I assign a special section in my wardrobe for them. Here are the chiffon gowns, batik dresses, and silk blouses with their intricate embroidery. They are rarely worn, so they always look brand new and sometimes magical to me. Therefore, I like to call this section “the princess section” because, like any typical girl, I like to imagine that I am a princess getting ready for a ball and this section is filled with my ball gowns.

In conclusion, I take a lot of thought into what I wear. It is not for an outer-locus pleasure, but rather a personal enjoyment which circles around the artistic value of the activity. Therefore, I arrange my clothes just as an artist arranges his paintbrushes and color palettes. In the end, our goal is the same: to create a work of art. The painter creates a pretty picture. I create a nice outfit.