2024-10-17
This is day 13 of #100DaysToOffload.
I used to dress quite poorly. Really, just, I would wear what is comfortable, which would be tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt of some kind. Generally, I did not think about how I looked at all, or did not really concern myself with it. I considered it egoistic.
I've moved on from then. I began to think that dressing well, and expressing myself well through my clothes was an expression of @@[Quality][https://wikipedia.org/Pirsig's_Metaphysics_Of_Quality] in the realm of dress. As in, it isn't really egoism, rather, it is just making sure that... you dress well.
Now, I don't *actually* put that much effort into it. Essentially, what I have done is swap out tracksuit bottoms for proper trousers of some kind, which look better (less chavvy). As for my T-shirts, where I previously just wore whatever I had, I now wear nice shirts (occasionally I try to match the colours a bit between the shirts and the trousers, but not really that much) or only really wear the nicer T-shirts if I am to wear a T-shirt. I've managed to reconcile my want of looking presentable, with the huge moral issues in the clothing industry, by only buying used clothes from charity shops. They still look just as good. Once used to it, as well, they are no less comfortable than what the baggy clothes I used to wear.
Are there social advantages? Likely. I haven't really noticed that anybody treats me any differently for dressing well, but perhaps I just don't notice it.
Women often say that they do their makeup, and their hair, etc. all for themselves. I used to think, well, obviously not, but I think it's a bit less clear. Compare it to a shower. Why do we shower? Well, of course there is an external reason: we shower because it makes it us clean and presentable to others, but also, we shower because it makes us feel good. Try and not shower for a week, and then compare the feeling after a shower, when all the sweat and stink is washed off - it feels incredible! Likewise, I think that in terms of fashion and appearance, a part of it is external: I want to look good for others; also a part is internal: by way of being attractive to others, I feel more attractive and happier.
As above as well, I don't think it is egoism to care about these things. There is a point at which it becomes egoism: potentially when the external validation becomes more important than the good internal feeling, or when it becomes obsessive, Narcissus-like. I just don't think it is as clear as I once thought it was.
How many other things that I currently deride are actually virtuous in a way that I just don't see to understand?