PAUL REVERE, SELF-EXPRESSION AND SEEING RED
I love history because it informs the way we live. It’s not the dates, the battles or the epic moments that I care about. It’s the ideas that fascinate me – the underlying beliefs and philosophies of the people who lived during different times. And with the 18th of April having just passed – the anniversary of the midnight ride of Paul Revere — I am reminded of the power of ideas, the power of beliefs so passionately held that people are willing to risk life, limb and family in order to exercise them.
Which brings me to the notion of self-expression, the uniquely American idea born of the American Revolution. Our founding fathers valued self-expression as an end in itself because it affirms the dignity of every member of society, and leads to the realization of a person’s full potential. And with self-expression comes music, art, and, of course, fashion, one of its ultimate and yet basic manifestations.
To say that there is a connection between the political system in which one lives and the ability to express oneself through fashion is an understatement. We are extremely fortunate to be able to come and go as we please and to exercise the many personal freedoms we partake in. But even in the most oppressive regimes, where rules tell women what they must wear, if and when they can go out of the home and with whom, there can still be found the subtle elements of personal style – how she places her hair, how she buttons her dress, how she folds her socks or leggings – because even in the most politically repressive places, people still have the need to express themselves as individuals. Indeed, self-expression is a fundamental human need that imbues one with a sense of self-determination and power, even where they realistically have none. It transcends political systems, religious systems or any other system because it is a human system which brings us all together no matter where we live or what we believe in.
So, as we remember Paul Revere and contemplate how his ride advanced the cause of self-expression, there’s one piece of fashion advice that stays with me, because it could have altered the course of history: This goes out to all you British soldiers. Remember: when marching through the forests of New England trying not to be noticed, you might consider wearing a color other than red.
Caryn Hirshleifer
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