as Tang pointed out, the idea of the clothes making the man (or at least hinting at social status) is not unknown in western european culture.

stripes, or striped fabric, were required dress for 'unsavory' characters, (non christian, thiefs, and other criminals)in the middle ages. the idea has persisted right down to the idea of prison garments being made from striped fabric.. this common icon is no longer true for most prisoners, but any cartoon image of a prisoner will portray them in stripes.

the use of colors too, is an other aspect of dress that connotes 'social status'. the bride wears (in most of north europe and english speaking countries) white, the widow wears black. The queen wears a crown (nowdays, in informal settings, the queen wears a hat instead of a crown!)and while we might sometimes mock her taste in headgear, they are effect!.

the history of garments, and there meanings, has largly been lost, though a few isolated segments of the population still use clothing as political statements.

(the 'pilgrim fathers' of NE, like the amish of pennsylvania, rejected buttons as ostentatcious displays of wealth. the Pilgrims made a point of fastening their clothing with buckles, --and buckles can be found on every garment, from shoes to their hats!)

The millitary use of buttons as decoration, is reputed to be napolean's idea. he insisted the sleeve edges of army uniforms be decorated with buttons, to discourage uncouth officers from wiping their noses on their sleeves!

Buttons use to be very expensive, and large, decorated buttons were a way of displaying wealth. a country that had the resourses to decorate army uniforms with buttons was a country that has riches to spare!

we have largely forgotten that, but we still use the old descriptions of the US revolutionary forces as being 'rag-tag'. their clothing was often tied on (rag-tags! literaly!) and not decorated with shiny brass buttons, as were the royal forces.

there are many idioms in english about clothing. (who wears the pants in this family) sort of thing, that betray some past meanings. ('people of every sort of stripe' attended)..


my other obsession