In Fashion . . . .

I'll admit that I do watch What Not to Wear from time to time. There's definitely something compelling for me about Stacey and Clinton's process and subsequent transformations. I do find that I question some design aspects though when I consider the whole 'reality television' set up. I have a friend who is a producer for a reality television program and he claims that there is very little reality involved and that the majority of reality television is heavily scripted and planned. But, it is refreshing to see some 'real' people on T.V. who, despite their fashion mishaps, are somewhat easy to relate to.

I like the way that the show focuses first on the exterior fashion being worn by the person at the present moment. The idea of purging old habit s and clothing is something that many of us have the impulse to do from time to time. Once this phase is complete and the person has recovered from the quality time with the trash bin, it then seems to transition to an examination of the purpose of the clothing that will be worn and then a look at the best styles for the individual's body and practical uses. Clinton and Stacey provide clear examples of looks that will flatter the person's body and work in their daily lives. They share simple rules that work as guidelines and a foundation for all future fashion decisions. But, what makes the show compelling is that the people all seem to discover far more than a fashion sense. There is a deeper transformation that occurs simultaneously below the surface. Clinton and Stacey bring personality, abundant energy and a wealth of knowledge that they deliver with sassy flare.

I don't find it difficult, after viewing the readings for this week, to relate fashion with education. Learning, like fashion, is a very personal experience that varies from one individual to the next. Teachers and students alike have their own preferences and learning styles and therefore respond differently to various approaches. As an educator, I am often trying to appeal to the wide array of tastes within my classroom and to appreciate the uniqueness of each of my students, allowing them enough room to express themselves in their own way, with their own design. Fashion, like education, should be a fluid process that allows room for transitioning from one stage of development to new areas of interest as the seasons of life change. Teachers need to be willing to take the steps to really look at what is actually working in their closet of techniques and lessons and be willing to purge those outdated ideas in an effort to make room for new ones. They should see their students as a mirror documenting areas of progress and offering insight to areas that perhaps need a little over haul.

In, If Ideas Were Fashion by David Wong & Danah Henriksen, the experience of fashion was observed as being characterized by intense imagination, motivation, emotion, and thought. I agree that it would be great to find ways to captivate my students to the degree that their own fashion trends seem to occupy their minds. I loved the way that Wong and Henriksen observe that fashion is a deep inclination, and it's exciting to see it as we propose having "the potential to be the basis for creating powerful educational experiences." If the primary goal of teaching is to relate the curriculum in a compelling way to students, then I believe that Wong and Henriksen made a critical point by stating that "we should begin by first looking at the kinds of situations in which students seem to be naturally deeply engaged." Fashion, like music, is one area that offers a door way of potential insight into ways of taking teaching and learning and creating a compelling process and over all experience.