Who is it For?

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen

As much as I dislike titles that are in the form of a question (there always seems to be some jasper who has an "answer" and feels no need to read the material before commenting), this is vague enough to cause curiosity. Every once in a while, I notice people who are fond of keeping with the latest trends, many of those are related to fashion.

Many people feel compelled to follow the trends. This may involve investing a great deal of time and money, but trends change frequently. Some slang terms only lasted a few years and will cause a user to be scorned by the trendy. (I use some to be humorous or individual.) Who are they dressing, getting hairstyles, speaking, listening to certain music, etc., for?

Paris Fashions in Peterson's Magazine, February 1871 —
these were being sold about the time Charles Darwin's
The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex was published

It is my view that people seek attention and approval when they do these things (Oscar Wilde said, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.") Some mavericks do not care a whit about fashion and getting the approval of others, and I reckon they have a sense of freedom. Don't be disunderstanding me, though. There are times and places where it is useful (possibly required) to dress appropriately. Keep it in balance!

Have you ever seen photos of or watched a fashion show? It seems those dreadful things are marketed to elite wealthy women, so the public doesn't have to endure those products in the real world. That is a small blessing. Elite women may say, "Why yes, I have an original by..." I don't care.

Men are not exempt, but there seems to be less fashion pressure. How about fragrance? It wasn't until very recently that I learned that a man should have not only a "signature scent," but there are colognes for each season. I was given an all-season cologne for Christmas, but I usually just slap on some basic after shave and get on with doing creationist stuff.

There is no scientific, psychological, or sociological theory for you here. In fact, this part may seem like a contradiction: People want and seem to need the approval of spouses, friends, supervisors, church leaders, and so on. That kind is more in keeping with spiritual and moral values, not how we look. The main thing I want to point out is that seeking the attention and approval of others seems rooted in pride. Christian, who do you want to please most of all?

I'm wearing a nice shirt and a bolo tie for my own pleasure and also to please my wife, and mayhaps some co-workers may like it. Or they may not notice. It's how we emphasize adornment that can be a problem. The Bible does not forbid it. Women are admonished to dress modestly (2 Tim. 2:9-10, 2 Peter 3:3-5), showing good works and character representing life in Christ.

Yes, I used quite a few vague words and sound like an evolutionary scientist because I am not insisting that what I write is some great insight. I could be wrong. Even so, I hope it gave all y'all something to think about. Then go further and think about what you do for the approval of others when it is unnecessary, and possibly based on pride.