rt students have it hard. They have a reputation for being different and for pursuing a glamorous course of study. The mainstream views good grooming and proper hygiene as everyday musts. The idea is that if you are neat, clean and pleasant smelling it reflects not only your own sense of self-worth and self-esteem but also your awareness of those around you. So, while the rest of society uses dandruff shampoo to control a flaky scalp, sets aside time to press clothing and concentrates on good posture, art students are free to assume an air of having just crawled out of bed. Every enrolled student has probably had the experi- ence of being dropped at the front doors of the school by a non-art type of person, who before letting you out asks that you explain to them something about the clothes and_hair- styles of the people milling outside. Usually | can bluff something about going against society's taboos on dress and freedom of expression but sometimes I’m stumped. | was petrified the day a particularly acid-tongued friend of mine asked me to explain why the woman in girlish pigtails let her undergar- ments hang beneath the hemline of her skirt. Unpacking the meaning behind that look was a little overwhelming at 9:00 am. Clothing reveals what a person is thinking and the ideas he or she is exploring. It’s is nothing new - most of this information is taken in on the first impression before words are exchanged. At an academy where people are trained visually, clothing is fundamental and vitally important to how you represent yourself. Your clothes announce your occu- pation, origin, personality, opinions, tastes, sexual desires and current mood. It is not difficult to distinguish the waitress in a restaurant from the cook, or a rich man from-a pauper by the uniform worn or the clothes they choose. People do lie about themselves with clothes though. Take for instance the rich man who dresses down so he will not stand out or the retail clerk. who buys a pair of Prada shoes that costs more then his weekly wage. Our understanding of clothes is similar to our knowledge of language. Although we may understand a wide range of words we generally rely on a limited vocabulary with repeated phrases to communicate our ideas. Count the number of times you use the word “cool” as an adjective or “you know” when you are Endless possibilities St a fose sat eet for those brave enough to boldy go. flustered. Being familiar with an expression like “sim- ply marvelous” does- n't mean it will roll naturally off your tongue. Anyone who has attended a gradu- ation ceremony will notice that a lot of peo- ple can put on high heels but only the prac- ticed few can actually walk in them. rt school style stands out as dif- ferent but generally we also conform to a few standards that may or may not truly rep- resent who we are. One stan- dard is baggy pants worn by men and women, 70's style athletic tops, little girl hair barrettes for women and pocket chains for men. The look is usually completed by a pair of Airwalk shoes or reasonable facsimi- le. A second standard focuses less on the particulars of clothing and more on dress- ing to conceal gender. This is the most inherently twisted approach to sexual equality imaginable. In art school this look manifests itself in clothes that attempt to conceal the body to look kooky or even pur- posely unattractive but never gender con- scious. These clothes show an awkwardness with the wearer’s sexuality and are chosen specifically to shield them from overtly sex- ual glances. They speak of sexual insecurity. Third is the well dressed, highly groomed Counter-clockwise from above: March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 5 Brenna Maag, “Bright Lights Big City” modelled by Nadean; Shelley Hartviksen, “Revealing Innocence” self-modelled; Jason Beange, “Mr. Fuzzy” self-modelled; Violet Pampl: usse, “Lick Me (Icing Dress)” self-modelled. By Maeve Doyle with photographs by Barb Choit jet set student who appears to be here exclu- sively for his or her studies before flying off somewhere else when the academic year is complete. Artists do work a look and that look frequently conforms to the look of other artists, regardless whether it is suitable for the individual. In an interview with “Attitude” magazine Vivienne Westwood said that “fashion is about eventually being naked”. The Wearable Art Show held in early February in the Concourse Gallery at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design was an exhi- bition rich in the language of fashion. The entire show had a Dadaesque quality about it. When most of society has slid into a Jehovah's Witness type of attitude about the celebra- tion of clothes (choosing to abstain from the festivities) the Wearable Art Show celebrated every fashion holiday. Consider the big stuffed green tiger’s head headdress. It was a funny self-mocking article of clothing that without inhibitions told us everything. Regardless of how you dress your body that headdress would carry the message that your head is full of cartoons, childhood memories and a youthful humour. The piece was shown on a model wearing a full suit cre- ating the visual effect of someone who had grown into a man but had not quite assimi- lated to his adult status. lothing has been known to have mystical qualities. In the Middle Ages a lady would give her kerchief or glove to a chosen knight when he went off to battle and he would wear it close to his heart for luck. Remember Bull Durham the baseball movie? The charac- ter played by Tim Robbins had an affair with the character played by Susan Sarandon. After they became involved the man was unable to play a successful ball game unless he was wearing his girlfriend's panties under his uni- form. They were his lucky charm. Initially his team mates mocked him until they saw the remarkable effect the panties had on his game. This brings me to the Eyeglass Frames dis- played in the plexiglass case, similar to what you might find in an anthropological muse- um. The frames were made from pistachio nuts for the days when her Vegas ethics were what she wanted the world to focus on. Red candy heart frames may be helpful on the days she was looking for a sugar coated romance and the feather frames that either promoted freedom, or at the very least offered a tickle. Who knows for certain but the materials seem to have been chosen for their suggestive qualities. The high fashion photos on the east wall were a curious mix of references that reflect the cultural confusion that so many people who live outside of their birthplace can iden- tify with. The model looked like international couture but the prop she was holding and her headdress had a foreign, possibly eastern look. When people borrow from other cul- tures it jolts the eye. Imagine a bus load of American tourists unloading at a roadside diner on the way home from a tour of Mexico City wearing sombreros. It’s just odd. It makes you think of the wearer's life experience. The Paco Raban type halter dress made from pop can tabs stirred up a series of ques- tions. Were the tabs from cans of diet coke? Again, “fashion is about eventually being naked” and with this particular garment, the eventuality is at hand. id Merit Oppenhiem know that her fur lined tea cup would have an influence over decades of fashion after its inception? Probably not, but the edible underwear piece gave her teacup a big nod. The edible under- wear was a hilarious tongue in cheek refer- ence to oral sex. It deceived and seduced on a number of levels. The initial deception was that the underwear was white but the inten- tion was not to convey innocence. The only thing edible about the underwear aside from the delicate icing was the suggestion, and that was sexual, offering the body as a serving platter. The Wearable Art Show signified the end- less possibilities of contemporary fashion for those brave enough to boldly go. For the less brave, the absence of limitations could be overwhelmingly confusing when trying to construct an individual look. It is important then to consider the alternative. It is no coin- cidence that people in uniform, rather then speaking honestly and straightforward, often repeat mechanical lies. “The doctor will see you shortly”. “It was a pleasure having you on board”. The anonymity of a uniform serves to dehumanize those whom it cloaks, rendering them as symbolic, utilitarian persons. It is the furious pursuit of fashion to dis- tinguish each of us as individuals. <@ st students have it hard. They hhave a reputation for being different and for pursuing 2 ‘lamorous course of study. The ‘mainstream views good grooming and proper hygiene ‘2s everyday musts. The idea is that if you are neat, clean and pleasant smelling it reflects not only your own sense of selfworth and self-esteem but also your awareness of those ‘around you. So, while the rest of society uses dandruff shampoo to conteol a flaky scalp, sets aide time to press clothing and concentrates on ‘900d posture, at students are free to assume ‘an ar of having just crawled out of bed. Every enrolled student has probably had the exper fence of being dropped at the front doors of the school by a non-art type of person, who before letting you out {25k that you explain to ‘them something about the clothes and. ait: styles of the people ming outside. Usually Tean bluff something ‘about going against Society's taboos on ‘ress and freedom of ‘expression but sometimes ™m stumped. | was petified the day a particularly ace-tongued friend of mine asked me to explain why the ‘woman in girlish pigtails let her undergar ‘ments hang beneath the hemline of her skirt. Unpacking the meaning behind that look was a litle overwhelming at 9:00 am. ‘Clothing reveals what a person is thinking ‘and the ideas he or she is exploring, ts is othing new ~ most of this information is taken in on the first impression before words fare exchanged. At an academy where people are trained visually, clothing Is fundamental Endless possibilities for those brave enough to boldy go. and vitally important to how you represent Yourself, Your clothes announce your occ ation, origi, personality, opinions, tastes, Sexual desis and current mood. It not difficult to distinguish the waitress in a festaurant from the cook, or a rich man from a pauper by the uniform worn or the clothes they choose. People do lie about themselves with clothes though. Take for instance the rich man who dresses down so he will not stand out or the retail clerk who buys a pair of Prada shoes that costs more then his weekly wage. ‘Our understanding of clothes is similar to our knowledge of language. although we may understand a wide range of words we generally ely on a limited vocabulary with repeated phrases to communicate our eas. Count the number of times you use ‘the word “coo!” 35 ‘an adjective oF "you know" when you are ata loss and feel flustered. Being familiar with an ‘expression like “sim ply marvelous" does. FX mean it will col naturally off your tongue. Anyone who has attended a gradu ation ceremony willnotic that alot of peo- ple can put on high heels but only the prac ticed few can actually walk in ther, rt school style stands out as dit ferent but generally we also Conform toa few standards that may or may not truly fep- resent who we are, One stan Gard is baggy pants worn by men and women, 70% style athletic tops litle git hair bareettes for women and pocket chains for men. The look s usually completed by 8 pair of Airwalk shoes or reatonable facsim fe. A second standard focuses less on the particulars of clothing and more on dress- Ing to conceal gender. This is the most inherently twisted approach to sexual {equality imaginable. In art school this look ‘manifests itself In clothes that attempt to conceal the body to look kooky or even pur posely unattractive but never gender con cious. These clothes show an awkwardness ‘withthe wearers sexuality and are chosen specifically to shield them from overtly sex. ual glances. They speak of sexual insecurity. Thied is the well dressed, highly groomed March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 5 ‘rom hay "aight Uh ig ly modes by Naar: Sheley artvsen “ewan noc made ‘ton ange," an” stad let Pampave ok Meng Oe tt lal By Maeve Doyle with photographs by Barb Choit jet set student who appears tobe here excl: sively for his or her studies before tying off Somewhere else when the academic year is complete. Artists do work a look and that Took frequently conforms tothe look of other artists, regardless whether its suitable forthe individual Ian interview with “Attitude” magazine Vivienne Westwood said that “fashion Is about eventually being naked” The Wearable Art show held in early February in the Concourse Gallery at Emily Carr institute of Art and Design was an exhi- bition rch in the language of fashion, The entire show had a Dadaesque quality about it When mos of society has slid into a Jehovah's Witness type of attitude about the celebra tion of clothes (choosing to abstain from the festivities) the Wearable Art Show celebrated every fashion holiday. Consider the big stuffed green tiger's head headdress. It was a funny self mocking article of clothing that without inhibitions told us everything. Regardless of how you dress your body that headdress would carty the mestage that your head is full of cartoons, childhood ‘memories and a youthful humour. The piece was shown on a model wearing a full suit ere ating the vsual effec of someone who had ‘Grown into a man but had not quite assimt Fated to his adult status lothing has been known to have mystical qualities. In the Middle ‘Ages a lady would give her kerchief ‘or glove toa chosen knight when he went off to battle and he would wear it close to his heart for luck. Remember Bull Durham the baseball movie? The charac: ter played by Tim Robbins had an affair with the character played by Susan Sarandon. After they became involved the man was unable to play a successful ball game unless he was ‘wearing his gilfriena’s panties under his uni: form. They were his lucky charm. Initially his team mates mocked him until they sav the remarkable effect the panties had on his game. This brings me to the Eyeglass Frames dis: played in the plexiglass case, similar to what ‘you might find in an anthropological muse tum. The frames were made from pistachio ‘nuts for the days when her Vegas ethics were what she wanted the world to focus on. Red ‘andy heart frames may be helpful on the Gays she was looking for a sugar coated omance and the feather frames that either promoted freedom, or at the very least bffered a tickle. Who knows for certain but the materials seem to have been chosen for their suggestive qualities. ‘The high fashion photos on the east wall were a curious mix of references that reflect the cultural confusion that so many people who live outside oftheir birthplace can iden. tify with, The model looked like international ‘couture but the prop she was holding and her headdress had a foreign, possibly eastern ook. When people borrow from other cul tures it jolts the eye. Imagine a bus load of ‘American tourists unloading at a roadside diner on the way home from a tour of Mexico City wearing sombreros. I's just odd makes you think of the wearer’ life experience. The Paco Raban type halter dress made ‘rom pop can tabs sited up a series of ques: tions. Were the tabs from cans of diet coke? ‘Again, “fashion i about eventually being raked” and with this particular garment, the ‘eventuality at hand. lid Merit Oppenhiem know that her fur lined tea cup would have an influence over decades of fashion after its inception? Probably not, but the edible underwear piece ‘ave her teacup a big nod. The edible under. ‘wear was a hilarious tongue in cheek refer ence to oral sex It deceived and seduced on 2 hhumber of levels. The intial deception was that the underwear was white but the inten: tion was not to convey innocence. The only thing edible about the underwear ase from the delicate icing was the suggestion, and that was Sena ofering the body aa serng platter ‘The Wearable Art Show signified the end: less possibilities of contemporary fashion for those brave enough to boldly go. For the less brave, the absence of limitations could be overwhelmingly confusing when trying 0 ‘construct an individual look. lis important ‘then to consider the alternative. I is no coin: cidence that people in uniform, rather then Speaking honestly and straightforward, often Fepeat mechanical lies. “The doctor will see you shorty”. “it was a pleasure having you on board”. The anonymity ofa uniform serves to ehumanize those whom it cloaks, rendering them as symbolic utilitarian persons. Tes the furious pursuit of fashion to dis: tinguish each of us as individuals. “®