📘Part 3: Clothes and fashion

This episode's vocabulary

Sign of the times (idiom) - something that is typical of the (bad) way things are now.

To showcase (verb) - to show the best qualities or parts of something.

Loaded (adj.) - a question that has particular words chosen to suggest the answer that is wanted.

Superficial (adj.) - (of a person) never thinking about things that are serious or important.

Disposition (noun) - the particular type of character that a person naturally has.

To dress up (phrasal verb) - to put on formal clothes for a special occasion

To dress down (phrasal verb) - to wear informal clothes in a situation where people often wear more formal clothes.

Officialdom (noun) - used to refer to those people who have a position of authority, especially in government, usually when they are preventing you from doing what you want to do or are slow or not effective.

To convey (verb) - to express a thought, feeling, or idea so that it is understood by other people.

Attached (adj.) - feeling close to, emotionally, or loving.

Nostalgia (noun) - a feeling of pleasure and also slight sadness when you think about things that happened in the past.

To generalize (verb) - to make a general statement that something is true in all cases, based on what is true in some cases.

Colour scheme (noun) - a combination of colours.

Vibrant (adj.) - energetic, exciting, and full of enthusiasm.

Propriety (noun) - correct moral behaviour or actions.

Questions and Answers

M: Do you think that fashion trends are important?

R: I suppose they're a sign of the times in terms of what materials and looks are popular, showcasing the reasons behind them. So if you're a fashion historian or an anthropologist then it would be pretty crucial for your job. For normal people, it can create a sense of belonging if you follow the trend of a particular community as well, because similar clothes will help you fit in with them. So I'll say yes, but for different reasons and for different groups of people.

M: What can you say about someone's personality based on their fashion choices?

R: That's a loaded question. I suppose it depends on how you feel about how deep people's characters are. I mean, If you think it's all just shallow and superficial then you can probably tell a lot about people. I mean, for example, bright clothes mean a happy disposition. But if you think there is more depth to people, then you might think a person likes the colours but is still capable of having a darker side.

M: When should people wear formal clothes?

R: When the occasion calls for it. That could be on regular workdays which aren't dressed down or casual or in settings where a uniform is essential, like in the army or the police services. If they didn't wear them... Like, if they didn't wear their uniforms, they wouldn't convey the same sense of officialdom or authority.

M: Should people always wear formal clothes at work?

R: I think that will depend entirely on the job, won't it? I mean, I work for myself, so who do I have to dress up for? If you're meeting high-end clients, though, I would imagine formal wear will become a necessity because it conveys professionalism or, at least, it conveys it visually. When you open your mouth, you have to back up this impression.

M: Do you think that people dress more formally in our days compared to the past?

R: Depends where you draw the line between the two, probably. And how you define formality. I mean, it would be easy to say that people are less formal today than in the past. But what's actually happened is what's considered formal wear has become more uniform. You see this in how most politicians the world overdress. For example, it's usually a business suit and tie that they wear. But I really believe people haven't changed that much in terms of the balance of formality and informality. They just changed how it's expressed.

M: When do people in your country wear traditional clothes?

R: Oh, God. People in Scotland are in love with traditional clothing, especially kilts. People often have them on at weddings or special events like work nights out, since there's always a sense of fun and energy when people have them on.

M: Why do some people like traditional clothes?

R: Oh, lots of different reasons. Some people are very attached to expressions of their culture and such clothes represent that. For example, kilts represent Scottishness in a lot of places. Others might also have a sense of nostalgia for simpler times and the clothing reminds them of this. Again, in the case of kilts, they are very old as a concept and have existed throughout Scottish history. So it's easy to fall back on.

M: What's the difference between the clothes, the elderly and the young people in your country wear?

R: Well, if I were to generalise broadly, then I'd say the colour schemes in the areas covered are different. So if you're old then you tend to wear darker shades with fewer vibrant tones and colours, whereas young people often or more often than not have on brighter colours and show more of their bodies. I think it's because older people tend to feel the cold more and perhaps have less body confidence as they age. Though, I imagine they'd argue it's a sense of decency and propriety so they don't sound less cool.