It is amazing how clothing and ornaments define our sense of selves and standing in society. This is across cultures it seems.
In the country, we wore home clothes and public clothes. The public clothes were tucked away and preserved so that when we presented ourselves at school we were truly actors on a stage.
This is like the coming of two different groups with different social norms, including grooming. I went to catholic school, so the school uniform created well uniformity in matters of dress.
I enjoyed reading this engaging and introspective narrative.
All these complex feelings, all the challenges I had faced since we moved to city became clear the day in the seventh grade when I pulled out my brother's picture. There he was, dressed like a hobo. The freedom to look like a hobo and not care about it was taken from us.
I still haven't learned to care about clothes, but that concern is imposed on me (still!). Uniforms I think are a healthy intervention for kids. The great leveler. Think about something else, not the way you dress.
Thank you for reading. I read your story. I was planning to comment tomorrow. Sleepy, slow day today :)
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Thank you very much, @friendlymoose