Self Decoration
As I was standing in front of my mirror putting on my jewelry and some paper flowers into my hair, A thought came to my mind: Why do we do decorate ourselves like this? I started to think about what the origins might be. How long have we as humans been doing this for? What is the history behind it? Why do we do it? Is it to feel good about ourselves or a way to subconsciously symbolize something?
Clothing, jewelry, accessories, hair dye, getting our nails done, tattoos. There is an abundance of different ways that we love to adorn ourselves. Part of the reason that we do all of this is in order to express ourselves and communicate to the world who we are in ways that spoken words cannot. Even if you don’t realize it, the clothes that you put on, the jewelry you wear, the tattoos that you get done, all are telling a particular story. That story is what makes us human and is who we are.
Ashish Spring/Summer 2017
Self decorating has been practiced for thousands of years and has played a significant role in various civilizations. It has been used forever to display social status or beliefs. We have seen that body painting, jewelry, and other forms of adornment have been used since the beginning of humanity and it shapes the way we dress and express ourselves to this very day.
Jewelry and the way it’s worn can symbolize many different things throughout cultures and histories. Throughout the ancient world people have been using beads in order to express themselves and send messages to those around them. The first kinds of beads that were used to be strung and to make forms of jewelry was with seashells, bone, teeth and eventually glass. Beads are extremely versatile and can be worn in a variety of ways. They can be sewn on to clothing, put in your hair, or made in to chains to wear. Waist chains, for example, are one piece of body adornment that we still see worn today and have an origin that dates back all the way to ancient Egypt. They have significant meaning in different parts of Africa and generally symbolize coming of age, femininity, and spirituality.
A big part of why we like to embellish ourselves with objects or change certain aspects of the way we look is simply to find a sense of community with people who have like minded beliefs as us. Humans are social creatures so it’s only natural to use the way we dress as a way of communication to those around us. When you dye your hair a certain way, wear a specific piece of clothing, have piercings or specific styles of jewelry on, or have a distinct artwork tattooed on your body, you are letting those around you know that you are apart of a group of people. Even if you don’t want to put yourself in a group or a specified aesthetic box, your still sending a message to others.
Livia Marques for @_tlabel
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Many of us just also love the way that it makes us feel. When we dress or present ourselves in a way that shows who we really and how we feel most comfortable appearing, it does something wonderful to ourselves spiritually. We feel confident when we feel our best, weather your doing it for yourself or for societal acceptance. But I believe the most magical part of having the ability to accessorize ourselves, is the way it gives us the opportunity to express our own individuality and creativity. If theres one good thing about social media, it’s the fact that we can see this magic taking place before our eyes constantly. Everytime I open social media I love seeing my feed filled with inspiring creatives using self decoration as a form of art and expression. These artist are taking the original ideas of ancient times and taking it to new extraordinary places. Hair stylist, nail artist, makeup artist, tattoo artist, jewelry makers and designers. They are taking these passions and making it their own, sharing what they make with the world in meaningful and impactful ways.
So keep on expressing yourself and dressing the way that makes you feel your best. Self adornment is more than just seeking approval or attention, it’s also just who we are. It is how we convey who we are to the world, it is how we build community, and it is how we find inspiration in our daily lives. It not only impacts our exterior appearance, but our own inner selves as well. Self decoration is one of our most important forms of art.