Utilitarian Chic

One of the ways experience/identity, meaning, and objects combine can be seen in appropriation of clothing and commodities. Because of my upbringing, I was specifically interested in working class appropriation. I’m often fascinated, and to be honest, quite bitter when I see pieces of clothing from my own childhood which I used to be made ashamed of, such as pre-distressed shoes and oversized, patina t-shirts, being turned into the latest trend. I define working class appropriation as the purchasing, wearing, or use of clothing and items that are typically known for their utilitarian function within a working class for fashion or décor. Whether this action is a grasp at authenticity and identity otherwise found outside of the comfortable, middle class experience or intended to perpetuate an edgy trend, appropriation of the working class can act as a form of gentrification on often needed commodities. This exercise was an exploration in replicating articles of clothing associated with working class garments, such as a Carhartt jacket and patchwork farm dress, with a lens that was aimed at capitalizing on the “utilitarian” or “threadbare” elements, instead of honoring them. The fraying in the dress was very methodical as opposed to organic, and I chose not to distress the jacket because the newness of the garment made it feel like a shallow caricature.

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