you are what you wea[w]r[ite]

sitting in a class primarily filled with dudes {i couldn't resist}, i can see how my topic may have seemed a bit absurd, or even superficial when compared to things such as genital mutilation in Africa or the drug trade on society. but, for those few that end up reading my little post here, i ask you to open your mind a little bit.
as humans, we love to explore culture. we study civilizations music writing styles, sculpting, poetry, vases, palaces, and any other artifacts indicative of culture. These artifacts often include clothing. Clothing gives us insight into what peoples valued, a peek into a moral code, and perception into every day practices or rituals. Religious apparel also offers clarity to ceremonies and practices.
This background was purely for you guys though, and in my paper I will primarily focus on the driving force fashion is in contemporary terms. i chose my claim and phrase "global force" with the knowledge that the positive and negative factors that the design, creation, marketing, and distribution of clothing has are profound and expansive. Designers garnish statuses that elevate them to celebrities, while often the construction of their garments is the direct cause of many individuals being treated inhumanely. On the other end of the spectrum, women in the middle east who previously enjoyed little to no freedom of choice are now allocated the opportunity of receiving an education in this field. It may be a small step, and many will consider it trivial, but it is the spark that could spread the flames of a movement.
Obviously this is something I feel quite passionate about, and i love the idea of discussing both the controversy and contributions that the industry of fashion has on a community level, as well as globally.