Fashion already says so much, so why must words appear on clothing? Fashion is a way to express oneself, and if I wanted to express myself using words, I would speak them. Words dilute the message that the clothes should be saying on their own.
The expression C’est la vie is commonly arbitrarily printed on clothes and accessories alike. When I see that expression on someone, I think of them as being a carefree, go-with-the-flow type of person. That expression could be plastered on a shirt with a stiff collar, severe shape and rigid material, but that is still what I would see because the words overpower the design. I believe white flowy bell sleeves or a light airy floral print could get that same message across even better.
Words are also the usual source of conflict over certain clothing items. The latest example hails from clothing company H&M. A black child was outfitted in a sweatshirt that said ”Coolest Monkey In The Jungle” next to a Caucasian child with a sweatshirt saying “Survival Expert” on displayed on their website in Britain. In the U.S., this was obviously met with much outrage, as the image and words came across as very racially insensitive. Although the image was in bad taste in any culture, the words did not have the same connotation to the Swedish company that they did in America. The sweatshirt has since been taken down. Fashion is a universal language that is tarnished with the use of words.
The only words that should appear on clothing is a brand name or logo. For example, Nike can put “Just do it” on their T-shirts because it is part of their brand. Other than that, words should be reserved for the page and cut out of fabric.
Zoe Stitzer is a freshman studying journalism news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you think clothes need words? Let Zoe know by tweeting her @zoe_stitzer.
