Clothing Between Professionalism and Identity (3)

When society undergoes transformation, the series began with a provocative question by writer Ahmed Al-Sarraf regarding the Ministry of Finance’s circular. In the first installment, we discussed the regulations of professional dress, and in the second, the image and identity of the institution. However, the circular stops at the ministry’s door, whereas taste is cultivated at home, in schools, in the media, and in the marketplace. What do the clothing and dining habits of generations and their tables say about the cultures that attract them? And how does attraction become a habit, which then becomes part of life? Clothing and food do not tell the whole story, but they reveal some of its features; therefore, their change deserves analysis, as it goes beyond mere admiration or hasty accusations.

First: From the Screen to Habit

A person may admire a foreign film or read a book about another society, keeping the influence within the bounds of viewing. But when what he wears, what his family eats, and the vocabulary his children use change, the influence has entered the details of life. Not every choice carries a major civilizational significance; clothing may spread because it is practical, a meal may be ordered because it is quick, and a product may be preferred because it is less costly. However, the convergence of wide-ranging changes in clothing, food, and language over years raises a deeper question: Which image of life has become desirable, and which local images have seen their presence recede? Fast-food restaurants offer, along with food, a pattern of service, socializing, and consumption. Their spread may be linked to time scarcity, changes in working conditions, or strong marketing. Therefore, this transformation should be read in its economic and social context; it is not explained by cultural attraction alone, nor should it be reduced to a judgment on people’s intentions.

Second: When Jeans Became a Symbol in the Soviet Union

Jeans acquired, among segments of Soviet youth, a meaning beyond their practical utility; they were linked to the image of Western life and what it carried in their imagination of freedom and renewal. The World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow in 1957 was one of the occasions of contact that strengthened the presence of Western fashion and music. This influence faced criticism and pressure in some environments, and informal markets emerged to meet the demand for Western goods. Here, it is necessary to distinguish between restricting clothing, prosecuting illegal trade, and the existence of a general legal ban on wearing it; these are different matters that should not be lumped into a single narrative. The significance of the example lies in the fact that a piece of clothing can become a cultural symbol, and opposition to it may increase its presence in consciousness. Nevertheless, not everyone who wears it adopts the ideas of the country of origin or its policies. This is the flaw in applying a functional generalization to the uniform of the Mao era: similarity in clothing in discourse does not negate differences in context and purpose.

Third: When Arabic Was the Object of Attraction

The history of Andalusia offers another image of cultural influence. In Cordoba, in the ninth century AD, Alvaro of Cordoba complained about Christian youth’s enthusiasm for Arabic, its poetry, and its literature, contrasted with their weak interest in Latin. Complaints from some clergy also mention the influence of Arab dress and surrounding customs; these are polemical texts that we read without generalizing them to everyone. Learning Arabic does not necessarily equate to a change in belief; language may become a tool for knowledge, work, and participation in community life, while religious affiliation remains. The Andalusian example differs from the Soviet one here: Soviet youth were attracted to the image of an external culture, whereas Cordoba’s Christians interacted with the culture of the society in which they lived. What unites the two examples is that influential culture finds its way to language, taste, and appearance when the reasons for its attraction and presence are available.

Fourth: When Does a Change in Taste Become an Issue of Identity?

Similarity in clothing alone is not a measure of dependence; fashions may be similar while values differ, and local dress may remain present while language and historical knowledge recede. The more productive question is: Has heritage remained a living choice that people take pride in? Can it renew itself and suit their needs? Or has some become ashamed of their language, dress, and food, granting every foreigner a higher status simply because he is foreign? At that point, the issue transcends a change in tastes to a change in standards of appreciation. The problem is not in benefiting from others, but in losing confidence in what we have, or failing to develop it, and then demanding that generations cling to it without making it close to their lives.

Fifth: How to Make Identity Worthy of Choice?

Protecting identity is a positive responsibility: designing good local attire, its presence in production, and offering contemporary versions of national cuisine. Education should make Arabic a language of expression and knowledge, and Kuwaiti history should be connected to the lives, children, and aspirations of its people. Public institutions have a role in displaying identity through clear and fair rules, while the home, school, media, and market have a role in reinforcing its love. Regulation determines the institution’s appearance, and attraction gives culture its extension in society; each has its domain and function. The success of initiatives is known by their impact: people’s interest, the presence of the experience, and the continuity of participation. A heritage exhibition visited by children is useful, but turning heritage into knowledge, skills, and products they use gives it a broader life.

From the irony of the measuring tape to the question of jeans and Arabic, one rule remains: The garment has meaning, but it does not read consciences, nor does it judge nations on its own. After understanding shifts in taste, a final question remains, which began with the “Finance” circular: What regulations for modesty and dignity does Islam establish? And what are the limits of administrative organization in light of the Constitution and civil service rules?

Al-Zubdah

1. Our discussion began with the Finance Ministry’s circular and expanded to the significance of clothing in societal transformations.

2. Clothing and food reveal some cultural changes, and reading their causes requires context.

3. Jeans became a symbol of the West in the Soviet experience, and this does not justify a general ban on wearing them.

4. Some Christians in Cordoba were influenced by Arabic and Arab dress, without this affecting all its people.

5. Identity is protected by the quality, beauty, and renewability of what we offer.

Dr. Abdulhamid Khalifa Al-Shaiji