You Are What You Wear?

By Author: Cedric Grosjean
Total Articles: 60
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Clothes can tell us a lot about each other, opinion varies as to whether this is a good or a bad thing, but in most societies clothing has been used for generations to make a statement about status or occupation. Although popular fashion has united people from all kinds of walks of life, it is still part of human nature to make assumptions about people based on their clothing. Societies are often keen to state that people should not be judged on appearance - and this is certainly morally correct, while they encourage certain useful stereotypes. An example of this would be the police. The majority of police officers are required to wear easily recognisable uniforms, which enables members of the public to identify them with ease. Clothing can also serve practical purposes - for example, sportswear or garments worn by surgeons and nurses. Some people will wear certain clothing to create an impression - youth sub cultures often do this, making sure anyone who sees them knows which group they are in. So it seems in society clothing still serves to convey messages about individuals and groups.

Some garments were designed ...
... for a specific purpose or for a certain activity, and dancewear is one of them. Modern dance brands, such as Capezio, Pineapple and Bloch use modern materials to help keep dancers comfortable. These should be flexible enough to allow stretching and strenuous activity, whilst being breathable and helping to wick away sweat, keeping the performer dry. In the past dance clothes were cumbersome - they were in many cases just ordinary clothes, which inhibited performance and were heavy and hot. Over the years, individuals such as Jules Leotard (who was of course the inventor of the leotard!) and numerous brands such as Pineapple have sought to assist dancers as much as possible. The majority of people responsible for this dance clothing revolution have either been dancers or involved in a similar sport, such as gymnastics. It is important for brands like Pineapple and Bloch to continue to develop products with support and feedback from dancers themselves, and the reason these brands continue to be so successful is because they do just that.

Loads of people who dance are very proud of their achievements, and if they are outgoing will want people to recognise them as dancers even when they are away from their studio. Although wandering down a local high street clad in a leotard, tights and legwarmers may attract attention, most dancers do not wish to make such a bold statement! A benefit of more casual dancewear such as Pineapple is that, although it is perfectly suited to dance activities, many items do not look out of place when worn in everyday life. A range of accessories such as bags are also provided by many leading companies, which are often enough to convey that someone loves to dance, but in a more subtle manner. Clothing is something which an awful lot of people use to broadcast information about themselves to those around them, and although this is not always the case, human's reliance on visual cues from others means that clothing styles are likely to remain important.

Europe's leading online retailer of dancewear - Dance Direct.For further information regarding our range of Pineapple products, please visit our website at http://www.dancedirect.com.