Non-issue feature: Style

This week we discussed issues that should be non-issues. Age is one of them.

By Melissa Fraser [Culture Editor]

Imagine that you’re going to a career fair at Kwantlen and you’ve been told again and again that you have to dress professionally. But, you also know what you wear is a direct reflection of your personality. So, you rummage through your closet looking for an outfit that will not only say “I’m ready to work hard eight hours a day, seven days a week” but also, “I love death punk and there’s no way I’m shaving this mohawk for your stinking capitalist job, man.”

What you wear is an issue. And, on one hand, it should be. Fashion tells people a lot about who you are before they even get to know you. It’s great for first impressions when you’re meeting your friend’s new boyfriend or you’re at a party.

Unfortunately what you wear is also an issue when you’re in an interview or you’re applying for a loan. This is when fashion should be a non-issue. Fashion says a lot about who you are but you shouldn’t have to change your style to fit into any one category.

A friend of mine used to have blue hair. She said that she would have loved to  have blue hair forever. But, she’s chosen to pursue a career path that involves wearing suits and giving firm handshakes. She knows this path doesn’t allow for blue hair. She’s decided that she chose this path and therefore she’s chosen to dress a particular way. The way she dresses for conferences and such says something about her personality.

But, she hasn’t chosen to dye her hair back to a more natural colour. She’s been forced into this norm because of the career she’s chosen. In this case, fashion should be a non-issue. If she were to dye her hair blue and show up at a conference, she would most likely not be received in the same way she is now.

Fashion is a great way to tell people about yourself but when you are unable to look or dress in a particular way because your fashion sense doesn’t quite fit it, it’s stifling.

What you wear is a definite issue, but shouldn’t be. If you want to have blue hair, you should be able to have blue hair and all those stuck up old folks should be able to see that you can run a business or a country no matter what you’re wearing.