One of the first theories that formed the hypotheses of wearing clothes was the modesty/shame theory. This theory is also known as the fig leaf theory, which is based on the story in the Bible. Genesis states that Adam and Eve realize their state of nudity when they consume a fruit from the tree of knowledge. And embarrassed, they both sewed clothes from fig leaves, hence the name fig leaf theory.
Many people started to consider that embarrassment was the only reason behind the clothes, but as time went on, people read more and more, thus offering many other theories. The arguments said that the clothing was simply to protect the body from environmental threats. Other arguments claimed that the clothing was created to create sexual attraction or show the beauty of the body.
The clothing was discovered eons ago. The discovery of a 500-year-old male corpse in a glacier on the Austrian-Italian border revealed it. The body was dressed in a fur cap, leather cape, loincloth, and leather shoes. This clothing was possibly there to provide protection against high winds. Beautifying one’s own body often brings satisfaction to humans. It is discovered that people began to decorate themselves long before they began to dress themselves. The first signs of decoration included painting and tattoos and even jewelry. Items other than clothing also had some significance in society.
Recent scholars now claim that clothing represents one’s identity and is communicated non-verbally. Clothing in some societies is as functional as language. It represents a person’s age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, social status, and occupation. Clothing reveals certain information about an individual’s personality and economic position. If a woman is dressed in jean shorts and is wearing a flowery ruffled top, she is probably trying to say that she wants to look more traditional. On the other hand, a person who wears a t-shirt with the name of a rock band on the t-shirt, then it is highly likely that the person is a fan of a rock band.
Society’s economy, culture and traditions also inspire what one wears. According to many religions, only the elite class can wear certain items of clothing, while others cannot. Today’s democracies also reveal the same figures. Well-to-do people dress in fine designer clothing, which represents social status. Uniforms are another class of clothing that represents one’s occupation. They are most likely used by the police, students, the military, etc. Events also influence what one wears, for example, in many societies special clothing is made only for weddings and their aftermath. Sportswear is another class of clothing that is made to provide easy movement and protection during games such as football, basketball, cricket, etc.
Clothing has now been extended to a very different meaning. In high schools, the most desirable students wear something extraordinary that makes them stand out from teenagers called nerds. This difference marks the boundaries between these two types of groups.
