Dressing up is a matter of values, and what does it say about us that our most important values \u200b\u200bare relaxation and comfort? Something surprisingly virtuous, writes Konstig.
A mixed user dumped garbage in the yard of a terraced house. The man was wearing a sun-faded hoodie and sweatpants, the shoes were those plastic slippers with holes that imitated the colorful Emmental. The metro must have brought me on a research trip to bourgeois Tapiola, I thought. Good thing it’s not our trash loni. It’s good that the wife or children can’t see, they would probably feel unsafe.
Then the man dropped the plastic bag inside the trash can. It wasn’t one of his finds, but was left in the trash. He closed the lid of the box and turned to me.
But still. He looks like a mixed user.
I’ve spent the last few years in the 1940s creating historical novels, and on the other hand, I’ve been watching the black-and-white everyday life of archival films for hours at a time. In them, street sweepers walk in suits and neckties, and factory workers march under May Day banners in waistcoats and top hats. The state police’s arrest photos from the 30s and 40s are full of petty criminals whose clothes would suit the CEO of an SME. If someone’s shirt collar is a bit loose in the portrait, he is immediately suspected of being a murderer.
What happened then? Why did we stop caring about looks and change our clothes to *casual and comfortable*?
At first I thought, what else can dressing up be than *casual and comfortable*. A person’s outfit can be, for example:
*mature, sensual, professional, chic, presentable, elegant, smart, funny, sophisticated, restrained, glamorous, well-groomed, confident, exciting, beautiful, playful, respectful, creative, pleasant, thoughtful, fashionable, formal, showy, dashing, sharp , swinging, artistic, important, selective, attractive, luxurious, proud…* svengaava, taiteellinen, tärkeilevä, valikoiva, viehättävä, ylellinen, ylpeä…*
…But it was as if humanity had abandoned all other options and chosen *relaxed and comfortable*. Relaxation and comfort are therefore more important values \u200b\u200bfor many.
Ah, but that’s it.
What would be a *wise* outfit choice? Showing self-control? Brave? Fair? Big-souled? Humble?
And then you jumped, because relaxed and comfortable is indeed humble.
As much as we care nowadays that everyone has to *realize themselves**,* the majority chooses to wear a relaxed-comfortable modern uniform, hoodie and sweatpants instead of a screaming *statement*.
Of course, you can ask whether an engineer wearing sweatpants feels particularly humble. Not necessarily. But that is ultimately secondary.
Even sweatpants are for it.
*Joonas Konstig*
*The author is a writer from Espoo, who points out that this didn’t happen in our block, so I didn’t photograph any of you neighbors!*
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