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FASHION AS A LANGUAGE OF NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

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Abstract

In line with the period change which has role in create the new parameter against the existence of fashion, the concept of fashion evolve in line with the spirit of time that followed, where at the beginning of its use, the human cloth with a very simple purpose, namely to protect the body from harmful natural conditions, such as weather, animal bites or scratches from herbs, and so on. Next, need of fashion in line with the change of time, it slowly had a shift purpose, switch on the purpose in giving beauty to the wearer, and slowly but surely, the current condition of clothing have entered on other dimension which enclose it, lilke value or attitude. That phenomena make a fashion can “talk” about the wearer (I Speak through My Cloth). Visualization of fashion itself which structured are capable to reveal the character, position, and status through the first impression for people who see it. All of these activities are steps of process to the formation of a new perception which observed visually.
FASHION AS A LANGUAGE OF NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
By :
Winwin Wiana
Lecturer at Fashion Education Study Programme FPTK UPI
ABSTRACT
In line with the period change which has role in create the new parameter against the existence
of fashion, the concept of fashion evolve in line with the spirit of time that followed, where at the
beginning of its use, the human cloth with a very simple purpose, namely to protect the body
from harmful natural conditions, such as weather, animal bites or scratches from herbs, and so
on. Next, need of fashion in line with the change of time, it slowly had a shift purpose, switch on
the purpose in giving beauty to the wearer, and slowly but surely, the current condition of
clothing have entered on other dimension which enclose it, lilke value or attitude. That
phenomena make a fashion can “talk” about the wearer (I Speak through My Cloth).
Visualization of fashion itself which structured are capable to reveal the character, position, and
status through the first impression for people who see it. All of these activities are steps of
process to the formation of a new perception which observed visually.
Keywords : Fashion, Language, Non Verbal Communication
INTRODUCTION
Generally, fashion can effectively reflect the identity of the wearer. Delivering identity
means demonstrate to others how our behavior and how should we treat other people. In addition,
fashion is also often used to convey a feeling, as exemplified in the use of color when grief, nor
an expression of joy, as well as the status and the specific role (such as uniform of officer) or
how a condition (for example the use of slippers, it sows an informal condition, while wearing a
full suit coat shows formal condition). Realized or not by the wearer, fashion is an instrument
of non verbal communication. The variety of types and forms of clothing with any model
that applied will give a certain impression on the viewer. There are no restrictions in clothing, is
it worn correctly, subtle or in random, finally, it will deliver the social, in which case this is an
image about the wear. Examine the social reality in dressing gives an overview on us about
how an outfit is worn.
Realized or not, in turn, fashion has the ability to give an image of someone. This image
appears when someone face to face or cross paths with someone at a glance, which
eventually will bring up a reaction of concept about people who it observe at and at
once formed in the cognitive structure. That condition ultimately gives an existence of fashion
in context of human civilization, that fashion's current role as a medium to express
themselves which ultimately give certain social messages by symbolic, and also as an instrument
of communication, with regard to definition which given to the wearer. What worn is an
attempt to show the image about who the wearer is and want to be taken as to what by
others who interact with it. That condition is an accumulation of the whole appearance, starting
from the selection of apparel design, type of material, colors used to the use of other
complements, such as the accessories and millineries.
The tendency of giving definition which has given by us against someone who wears
"certain" fashion is the accumulation of visually sighting the whole appearance of someone.
Interaction with others is often in contact with someone's behavior which associated with
the attributes. Even unwitting, way of communicate with others tend to be associated with
things around the fashion issue. This can be observed from how to behave among others,
indicated at the time of dealing with someone dressed military, dirty, or people who
dress fancy. Messages which are transmitted through the symbols that present in the fashion’s
device, in general message recipients respond that communications through associate it with
"cultural unit" (body language, attitude, dialects, and other attitudes) which received by
communicator.
The interactions that happen against point of view of fashion using, consciously or not has
reflected through the attitude which taken in treating opponents talk faced. The taken
action when treating each person often shows the form of differences based on visualization
of the first impression caught. Differing attitudes that are made about how to treat the
opponents talk often unwittingly has formed standardization in society, by assess-ing that
someone who dressed in certain must have certain qualifications. For example, someone who
dressed Muslimah "definitely" a solehah, or one who wear branded fashion "definitely" a rich
one, or someone who dressed in a little shanty "is definitely ' the poor, and so on. However, such
phenomena tend to trap someone on an assessment of the nature of "skin", so it is not surprising if
the clothing is often used to manipulate a person's condition. Many folklores in this world expose
it, ranging from the West through Hans Christian Anderson which recount pabel Wolf sheep, or
folklore of West Java which told the story of ”Karnadi Bandar Bangkong”, a poor who
successfully married a noble’daughter because of borrowed cloth, as well as many other stories
that imply the abilit of clothing in realizing the goal of someone to be seen as a form of
”someone” who wants. The anaogy of such condition that the ability of the use of cloth as the
language is basically done to ”declare” or ”hide” the identity of wearer. One of the relevant cases
adopt this aspect is the use of actors role’s costumes (actress/actor) in serving of the stories in
the film, where the characteristis of the figures which portrayed appears one of them through the
cloth which worn.
A. STUDY ON FASHION SEMIOTIC
In line with the change of civilization, a function of the cloth using experience a shift
from a very simple purpose, namely as a body armor, continued on other aspect which related
to the values, attitude, character, position, status and so on, so that in the end fashion has the
ability to "talk" about the wearer. Whole aspects which can be observed from someone’s
clothing, eventually leads to the process of perception formation on the wearer from the
viewer.
Currently, the phenomenon of fashion is also used to indicate or define social
roles that owned by someone, where the fashion is taken as a sign to certain people or
groups who run certain roles in society. For example, at a hospital, cloth which worn
by doctors, nurses, patients and visitors become the indicator of each roles. The role and
meaning of cloth in that context is so vital, because if the signal system from the wearer who
arranges role and function of the individual does not exist, it will happen something
irregularity or chaos in service circulation at the hospital. In this context, fashion provides
the guidance of services which expected from a person who wore such fashion. Some of the
assumptions above to us that the field of fashion at this moment have entered the complex
system and as part of the flural community, the phenomenon certainly cannot be ignored. To
analyze the phenomenon that develops in the field of fashion, it needs to be studied in
advance about system of semiotics in fashion with the paradigm system which established.
Semiotics in fashion serve as a tool for understanding how the signs in this fashion can be
interpreted.
1. Basic Concept of Semiotics
Semiotics, as expressed by Ferdinand de Saussure, is a science that studies the
role of sign as a part of social life. Semiotics becomes a tool for examining the
structure, type, typology, as well as the relation of the sign and its use in the
community.
"Semiologi" is the root of the word "semiologis", is derived from two words from
the language of Greece: Semeion which means sign and Logos which means story or
note or science. So semiologi is the science or a note about the sign (Science of Sign).
According to Piliang (2011) semiologi is "the study of life sign in the community”.
Communication between human involves many things to represent or present the
thoughts as an attempt to communicate what the thought so, which one of them
is involving the use of "signs".
2. Classification of Sign
Saussure (1974) classified the sign over two parts referred to as "Signifier” and
the "Signified".
a. Signifier is the image that present in the cognitive structure of the observer in the
form of form, space, surface, volume, color, texture and so on, or in other words the
signifier is part of the physical sign which has material or visual character.
b. Signified, deals with the definition against the sign, the mental concept which is a
reference for signifier. Signified is the meaning of the signifier.
An example is the use of certain clothing that can represent something else, for
example on the use of men's suits with opened shirt collar and worn without a tie can be
said as a signifier. Signified of that case is a casual condition or represent infornal
situation (in this case ”casual” meaning is as signifed). Other condition is shown by the
use of the coat suit; with closed shirt collar and use the tie, this can also be referred to as
a signifier, which means it represents formal look or muscular, where the formal or
muscular is the signified.
Signifier
Signified
Implies a certain meaning,
in this case the
condition/atmosphere from
the use ofthe fashion
Coat suit from
linen material, cotton shirt with closed
collar, tie paired, and belts
as milineris.
Image or meaning which
resulted is formal
situation or muscular of its
wearer.
Regard to the case study above, if an observer doesn't have any references about
the use of shirt (collar button is closed or opened) then the meaning or the condition will
not be linked to a formal or non formal situation. This is related to the understanding
of the code aspect in outlining the sign.
A code in the sign world is a set of shared rules that connect the signifier and
signified. If the code is unknown, then it may be uncertain whether a particular signifier
will be connected with signified or will constitute a signing? The most important way to
reach this agreement is in the form of unwritten agreement (convention), which can be
obtained from the shared experience of wearer in culture. The convention depends very
much on the ability of the observer/receiver in interpreting messages/sign then represent
it in the form of an understanding of fashion phenomenon which has observed.
Another case study can we find in the convention that confirms the use of colors on
baby cloth, namely blue for boys and pink for girls. In this case the color in the
visualization is in no way connected with gender, but used to signify or represent
a gender, with a note that condition was confirmed through the convention in society
(especially on the urban community). That condition is probably going to be
different with an understanding of the community in rural areas who do not have the
same understanding of the concept of the use of color that give the sex of the baby, so,
blue and pink on baby clothes which as signifiers and signified is not applicable in that
community.
The diversity of meaning is present because of the difference in socio-cultural, the
concept of mental, as well as insightful of observers. As basic concepts, there are three
elements that are able to play a role in forming the meaning of the sign, namely the
referent (reference) and the user of the sign. Here is a schema of interaction process
between a given message and meaning are accepted :
Schema of Interaction
Process between a Given
Message and Meaning
Here is the example of signifier and signifies system on the use of cloth :
Signifier
Signified
- Tiered Drop-Waist Dress with
model’s detail : camisole, and
exploration of empire line.
- Millineries : ankle boots with
straps variation, and umbrella
- Casual
- Teen Style
- Feminine
- Character of the
urban community
Fashion Casual format of feminine teenager
3. The types of Sign
As one of the founders of the theory/science of sign, Charles Sanders Pierce classified
the types of signs based on the observed object into the three characteristics,
namely :
a. Icon
Icon is the relation between the sign and the object or reference that is likeness, such
as portraits, maps, drawings, paintings and so on.
Observer
Referent
Meaning
Message
Icon of Hawaian
tourism
Elizabeth Taylor
World fashion icon
in the 1960s
Gwen Stefani
World fashion icon in
The Era Of The New
Millennium
b. Index
Index is a sign which has relation of the presence of the casual relationship existence
with an object or proff of an entanglement with an object. Example : Smoke as
indication of fire, footprints in the muddy road indicate there is someone passed in
that area and so on.
Nurse's Cap become the
indicator of profession
and services that provided
The use of winter clothes
indicates very low
temperatures
Cowboy
wear indicate heavy
work which he did
c. Symbol
Symbol is a sign which based by the conventional Association, rules which have been
mutually agreed, where this sign indicates the relation between signified with the
signifier. Symbols are pictures, shapes, or objects that represent an idea, object or
amount of something. Although the symbol is not the value itself, but the symbol is
absolutely required for the benefit of comprehension of the values that represented.
For example, the Stars became a symbol of Islam, a fictional character of the Dragon
became the symbol of the most powerful stories of the folklore of China, and so on.
Yin Yang
symbol of Chinese philo-
sophy which explained about
2 things opposite but
complementary
Jacqueline Kennedy
the symbol
of the American
woman who was pretty,
smart, brilyan, and has an
amazing personality
BMW Car
symbols of prosperity and
high social status, and can
show them as part of the
prestigious communities
The types of sign phenomenon in society often experience exchange roles, depend
on how big the observer have a reference on the object which observed. Often a
"symbol" changed to "icon", because of the understanding of thr observer is limited
to physical manifestation or form of the observed sign. Another case occurred
precisely the opposite, when observers have an understanding and a reference which
is quite a lot about the observed object, so the thing that originally only imply an icon,
can be meant as a symbol. An example is the use of traditional dress of an area. An
observer who understand about philosophy on parts of the dress, will put that dress
as a symbol of his country, however if the observer has no references about the
meaning of the philosophy of the observed dress, then it only become the icon from
an area.
4. The Meaning of Denotation and Connotation
Meaning is something important in the aspect of human life. We can
communicate with someone because we can interpret what he said, what he was saying,
which is sometimes helped by gestures. Define it turns out not only as words, gestures
and other communication media, in the sense that everything can be meant, including
on objects or products. As already explained in a previous discussion that fashion as a
form of non verbal language, it gives another understanding on the observers apart from
merely functional objects, one of it is the content of meaning. The nature of meaning in
the field of fashion is essentially an accumulation of values which given over cloth, the
entanglement between wearer nor the response which indicated by wearer. In general a
meaning is created through a process which called perception. When there is
perception in observer’s mind, there is happen of refined form of process memory,
feeling, sorting and interpreting based on intellectual, cultural background, knowledge
and emotions of the observer.
Meaning in the context of clothing/fashion turns out to be quite meaningless if it
divided into two kinds of meaning, namely denotation and connotation, both of which
play a role in each manner and form. Denotation and connotation can be used to
describe and analyze the production of meaning, especially in the field of fashion.
a. The meaning of Denotation
Denotation is often referred to as the order of the first sign of meaning, where
that meaning is the literal meaning of a word or image. According to Barthes (1983),
denotation typically understood as literal meaning, or the true meaning. The
significance process by traditionally referred to as denotation in this generally
applying the observations that associated directly with the ”word” or ”name” a
sign/objects/shapes.
b. The meanings of Connotation
Connotations in sign or meaning world, placed on the second position. Connotations
can be explained as an image that makes people think or feel, or as associations of a
word or a name, which combines itself to the first sense (denotation). According
to Barthes (1983), connotation usually refers to the meanings which attached on word
because its define history. The connotation is often used to uncover the hidden
meanings, or referred to as a figurative meaning. For example, the word ”coat” as the
name, in the power of fashion connotation can meaningfully as ”old-style clothing,
or upper-class, or a certain position in the work” or other analysis that related to
understand and reference of the observer.
Denotation and Connotation phenomenon are analytical concept. Denotation and
connotation is used to analyze and explain the experience, and not to find the experience
in it.
Case study 1
The Meaning of Denotation :
The beggars outfit which dirty, shabby, and squalid.
The Meanings of Connotation :
Poverty, hardship, misery, suffering
Picture : Beggars outfit
Case study 2
The Meaning of Denotation :
Exploration of batik in teenager wears
Harajuku style.
The Meanings of Connotation :
Cheerful, freedom of expression, cross of
cultural design.
Picture : Harajuku Batik Style
CLOSING
Fashion as an object which is an indication of a human civilization, currently has the ability to
communicate the situation and condition of the wearer. Fashion tells about who, what and
how of its wearer. As an object which worn by human, fashion include attitudes and emotions
that manifest through social criticism, which in turn can trigger a reaction. Fashion does not
only reflect and translate culture but also appear the value model of visual that could help us to
show ”upwind” (a certain tendency of style).
REFERENCE :
Bartes, Roland, 1983, The Fashion System, System De La Moda, America
De Saussure, Ferdinand, 1974, Course in General Linguistics, Fontana, London
Horn, Marilyn J./ Gurel, Lois M, 1981, THE SECOND SKIN An Disciplinary Study of
Clothing Third Edition, Houghton Mefflin Company, Boston Dallas Geneva, III.
Hopewell, N.J. Palo Alto London.
Ibrahim, Idi Subandy, 2007, Fashion Sebagai Komunikasi, Jalasutra, Bandung
Mulyana, Deddy 2004, Komunikasi Efektif, Remaja Rosdakarya, Bandung
Piliang, Yasraf Amir, 2011, Semiotika dan Hipersemiotika: Kode, Gaya dan Matinya
Makna, Jalasutra, Bandung
Sobur, Alex 2003, Semiotika Komunikasi, Remaja Rosdakarya
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Chapter
Observers often rely on appearance to make inferences about others’ emotions, intentions, and personalities, although such judgments are frequently inaccurate. Physiognomy leads observers to make conjectures without scientific basis. While humans utilize clothing for various purposes, such as protection, modesty, and decoration, clothing’s communicative capacity is only present in certain instances. First impressions are brief (i.e., <500 ms) and precise to some extent (i.e., accuracy >50%); several variables make more accurate evaluations challenging. The subsequent interactions between people can be shaped by factors such as initial beliefs, evaluators’ emotions, subtle cognitive mechanisms (e.g., halo effect), and expectations. While individuals may craft a positive digital image to make a favorable first impression, the information they share via social networks could convey a different impression.
THE SECOND SKIN An Disciplinary Study of Clothing -Third Edition
  • Marilyn J Horn
  • Lois M Gurel
Horn, Marilyn J./ Gurel, Lois M, 1981, THE SECOND SKIN An Disciplinary Study of Clothing -Third Edition, Houghton Mefflin Company, Boston Dallas Geneva, III. Hopewell, N.J. Palo Alto London.
Fashion Sebagai Komunikasi, Jalasutra, Bandung Mulyana
  • Idi Ibrahim
  • Subandy
Ibrahim, Idi Subandy, 2007, Fashion Sebagai Komunikasi, Jalasutra, Bandung Mulyana, Deddy 2004, Komunikasi Efektif, Remaja Rosdakarya, Bandung Piliang, Yasraf Amir, 2011, Semiotika dan Hipersemiotika: Kode, Gaya dan Matinya Makna, Jalasutra, Bandung