O'Neill Reading Room Backwall Exhibit: Fashion and Fitting In

What do you think of when you think of fashion? You may think of the utility of the clothing you choose to wear each day. Or, you may think of the over-the-top nature of high fashion and avant garde fashion shows. Or, perhaps you think of any of the various formal and informal uniforms that people may wear throughout their life from school uniforms, to the scrubs that medical professional wear, to military uniforms, to the robes (and sometimes wigs!) worn by judges around the world, to the distinctive clothing worn by members of some religious orders. But, regardless of the exact nature of the outfits we choose to wear, they are often used to signal our membership in a particular community (or our desire to stand apart from specific communities) as well as our personal belief systems. This exhibit explores how fashion has been used to fit in across time and within specific religious communities. Perhaps it will inspire you to consider how fashion does or does not play a similar role in your life.