A wider range of costume wearers

As I have worked through the major project part of the Course taking many images of re-enactors wearing costumes from bygone ages I came to the realisation that there was a whole range of people who would not consider that they were wearing a 'costume' and certainly would not consider themselves re-enactors who yet wear clothing and accoutrements that identify them with a particular group. It is not all that obvious but once you start looking for it the evidence is there. As an example I took this photograph in Annecy, France of a group of students crossing a park during  their lunch break.

At first glance the evidence for a 'costume' is not immediately obvious but a closer examination provides a number of clues. The length of hair, tightness of jeans and the shoulder bag that each of them is carrying identifies them as a group. Later behaviour as they continued their walk confirmed initial impressions and a sequence of phtographs will show them lighting cigarettes and displaying other group behaviour. The other group in the image at the rear are probably from the same school but the difference here is that one of them has a boy friend thus requiring different behaviour from the members of that group although the girls are similarly attired to the group in the foreground.

Desire to belong to a group is very strong in human beings and other animals but humans show their 'solidarity' through dress and common behaviour patterns. Having been around for quite some time I have memories of teddy boys, mods, rockers and motor bike gangs each group having its own identifying style of dress and behaviour. The most obvious grouping in modern times is football supporters who display the colours of their chosen Club and many of whom wear replicas of the 1st team.

Britain, being a multi-cultural society also offers many examples of ethnic dress and this too identifies members of a specific group.

It has been agreed with my tutor that I can extend my remit to include such groups thus providing greater opportunities to capture the diversity of 'costume' where the latter term relates to the indication of group belonging.