This isn’t a new story, but when it resurfaced in front of me, I was struck again by the need of men (and boys, here) to participate in the dressing code of urban camouflage. More than women (and girls,) who – within the context of current fashion trends – are more likely to be taught to stand out, be creative, unique, individual, have their own style, it is more likely for men to follow rules and wear just what everyone else is wearing (here, as a show of support and acceptance.) Like in the military, where there are guidebooks written for what you should be wearing at every possible occasion so as to never have to second-guess yourself and show up in something inappropriate. Hence, the business uniform of the suit.
It’s a very sweet story about anti-bullying, and worth the watch:
Do we think this attitude towards dressing like your friends is more gender-neutral in children, and does it get more pronounced as people get older? Is it a learned behavior or an innate one? Was it always this way, or did it develop at some point in history? I am certainly no child psychologist, but it would be interesting to see if anyone has done a study about this.
