Taste the uniform

Author: Paul Fussell (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: The universal dilemma can be clearly defined as follows: everyone must wear a certain uniform, but must deny wearing it, unless their invaluable individuality and unique identity are threatened. If you refuse to dress like others, you will be ridiculed, and almost no one is willing to appear in public as a fool or an oddity. Administrators are unlikely to be wearing colorful tight-fitting clothes bouncing around Park Avenue at noon; ordinary people are also unlikely to abandon their inner self-esteem in pride for their unique attire. Paul Fussell, with his sharp pen, genuine emotions, and anecdotal style, describes the historical changes and rich meanings of various uniforms—from Boy Scouts to soldiers, from hospital nurses to company employees, from chefs to nuns—and reveals the little-known language of uniforms, showcasing their cultural significance. He primarily focuses on American uniforms, holding up a mirror to truthfully reflect the daily lives of those who wear prescribed attire to work, portraying the conflict between conformity and individuality. When examining the integrating and separating functions of uniforms, he ranges widely, with his pen pointing to all corners of the world, such as the Russians' fondness for epaulettes, the Germans' obsession with black, and the Italians' passion for feathered hats. Fussell believes that clothing reflects the self, and the messages conveyed by dress sometimes surprise us unexpectedly. Taste and the Power of Uniforms is Fussell's masterpiece, a harmonious blend of sharp wit and gentle kindness, a perfect combination of unique cultural insight and humorous wit, and a fragrant wine that is both a satire of social phenomena and an inspiration for social research.