In “Which is the Correct Term? Black vs. BIPOC vs. African American vs. POC vs. BAME,” Gabby Beckford elucidates the nuances in terminology referring to minority communities, highlighting the importance of precision when discussing race and ethnicity. Beckford ultimately concludes that the most appropriate terms to use are the most specific ones applicable to a relevant situation or discussion.

I was first pointed towards this article by you during my third response. In a discussion of Black Ivy, I claimed that it demonstrated the adoption of ivy among African Americans, but you aptly pointed out that it wasn’t purely an American phenomenon; Jason Jules, for instance, the author of Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style, is black, but not American. It was an oversight on my part, but it did also have me thinking: why did I default to African American?

Beckford actually points out this tendency, noting that “in the past, there seemed to have been a movement to use the term African-American as it was seen as more ‘PC’”; she too points out that “not all Black people in the United States are African-American” (par. 5). She goes on to emphasize the idea that the term ‘Black’ should not be interpreted as having negative connotations, noting that she’s “received commentary from white people saying that in their hometowns and growing up, they felt that calling someone Black had a negative connotation… [but she found] it was likely the discomfort in addressing race at all, and often the inflection with which racist people would call Black people Black which was the issue, and not the word itself” (par. 6). 

I was kind of struck by how I could relate to this. I grew up in a small, affluent suburb in New Jersey, a state known for its high quality education; according to U.S News & World Report, it actually ranks 1st in the nation out of all 50 states. Our education system, however, is also one of the most segregated in the nation, ranked at 6th out of 50. This is true both racially and socioeconomically, and it’s a fact I was very much aware of growing up. My middle and high school had populations that were both around 90% white. My first year of high school, I remember a friend telling me that kids from the two other middle schools (that fed into our high school) would call our town ‘Chester-ico,’ like Puerto Rico, because of how many Hispanic kids lived there. Our middle school population was only 8% Hispanic! 

My hometown was racially and socioeconomically homogeneous to the point that even I felt out of place, at times. I remember coming back to school after summer vacation, with a very deep tan from spending a lot of time in the sun, and feeling very conscious about how much my skin tone stuck out compared to my peers. I find that almost absurd, frankly – I’m white-passing! And technically, white. (There’s an entire debate on whether or not people who are Middle Eastern/North African should be considered white, but that’s a separate discussion). I think Beckford accurately articulated why those who were raised in predominantly white communities have trouble using the word ‘Black’; the lack of representation within the community makes it significantly harder to understand what terminology would be preferable, since few are willing to correct misconceptions or believe it is simply not their place to do so. 

I also noticed that how the terminology I used, as well as the associated connotations, changes with the context and language I’m speaking in. I’d use ‘Black’ in daily life, but I almost always used the terms ‘African-Americans’ or ‘BIPOC’ in formal or academic writing; I think that might stem from the fear of being perceived as insensitive to current issues, especially by those who aren’t yet familiar with me and my views. In French, there’s not really a ‘socially acceptable’ term for Black people other than the word for Black (“noir”), although I think that’s a reflection of French culture more than anything else. There’s certainly no lack of inherent racism in the French language, but changes in terminology can’t occur nearly as rapidly as they can in English, mainly due to the fact that any time a word or its usage is changed, or a new word is formed, it has to be approved by l’Academie Francaise, a council that seeks to preserve French culture and the history of the French language, as well as limit foreign influences to some extent. This process is arduously slow and full of red tape, which is typical of the nightmare that French bureaucracy is. There’s actually a really interesting and insightful episode of a podcast I listen to detailing someone’s struggle to have a French word with a deeply racist history changed through this process, which is linked at the top of this post. 

Overall, I think this article provides a lot of food for thought in terms of evaluating our own perceptions of race, culture, and language, as well as noticing any internalized misconceptions we may carry. I think a lot of people believe that acceptance, of any group of people, is a binary, or a conscious decision; your racist relative woke up one day and decided to be a bigot, and you didn’t. But I think it’s more complicated than that. Even when we try to be allies, we can accidentally find ourselves perpetuating prejudiced ideas, indulging in stereotypes, or labeling something as the ‘default’ or ‘normal’ when that’s not necessarily true. Biases like these are deeply ingrained in the fabric of society, and they’re something we learn unconsciously, at a young age. That’s why I want to thank you for correcting my terminology in that earlier response. It’s important to actively reflect on your own patterns of thinking and educate yourself on these issues, which is something I strive to do, but sometimes you need someone to give you a reality check in order to reconsider an assumption you may have left unchallenged. 

Works Cited

https://www.nj.com/education/2023/03/two-reports-show-the-damages-of-school-segregation-and-paths-for-fixing-it.html

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/16/947221309/we-still-dont-say-that

https://www.packslight.com/which-is-right-term-african-american-vs-black-vs-bipoc-vs-poc-vs-bame/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education

In “Articles of Interest #3: Pockets,” Trufelman describes the inclusion or exclusion of pockets as a clear indicator of “who can walk through the world comfortably and securely” (Trufelman 00:04:34). This ties into the deeper meaning of fashion in terms of both how it makes you feel, and how it makes others perceive you. This outfit is styled in my interpretation of Ivy, with careful attention to both my comfort and my public perception.

The jeans I chose are high-waisted and wide-leg mom jeans, with subtle rips at the hems. These have the effect of drawing more attention to my legs and visually ‘lengthening’ them, which is something I usually aim for to distract from the fact that I am, in fact, merely 5’1″. This effect would likely be greatest if I were wearing heels with these jeans, as they would be an uninterrupted straight line rather than bunching at my ankles, but I think this gives it a much more laidback and carefree appearance. They also have huge pockets, both in the front and the back; I can fit my phone, wallet, and airpods all only in the front two pockets. The tank top I’m wearing is one of my favorite articles of clothing, since it’s a basic black tank that’s tight-fitting but not constricting. Layered over that is a red button down; I actually thrifted it for $3 for a physics conference a few weeks back. I again chose to wear it in a relaxed style, fully unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. Finally, the accessories all complement each other; the bracelet on my left hand complements the blue on the jeans (although not exactly; it gives the outfit a somewhat spontaneous pop of color that’s lightly mismatched but not totally unexpected either), the silver necklace complements the silver buttoning on the jeans, and the black and red in my glasses match the black and red in the tank and button down. Despite how lax the outfit is, its coordination signals some level of thought and looking ‘put together’ to others.

Works Cited

Trufelman, Avery. “Pockets” Articles of Interest, 2 October 2018, 99percentinivisible.org/episode/pockets-articles-of-interest-3/.

Summary

In the penultimate and ultimate episodes of “American Ivy,” Trufelman explores the origins and significance of style, particularly their differing manifestations in Japanese and American interpretations of Ivy, as well as the deep-rooted and fundamental connection between fashion and nostalgia. She furthermore ultimately comes to the conclusion that Ivy’s popularity can best be attributed to its modern-day accessibility, noting that “[Ivy] clothes have an incredible have an incredible power to communicate a sense of openness… It[‘s not] about the clothes themselves. It’s how you style them” (Trufelman 02:33:48).

Response

I happened to listen to this episode of Life Kit when we first started listening to “American Ivy,” and I’ve continually found it to be highly relevant to Trufelman’s work, as well as this class overall. While it focuses on professional image as it relates to social media use, it ultimately comes back to the same fundamental idea we (and Trufelman) have been investigating for the past few months: how we use visual rhetoric to communicate information about ourselves, our identities, and our values. Andee Tagle describes the idea of a personal brand as being “composed of what people see you do, hear you do, and how you make them feel” (Tagle, 00:05:58), and I would argue that Trufelman’s study of Ivy focuses on the exact same principles: how one’s sense of fashion influences others’ perceptions, how it reflects their social status, and how it ultimately makes someone feel.

Material Composition

In keeping with the idea of finding a way to make Ivy suit you, i.e making it your own rather than merely adopting it, I chose to create an outfit that was unique to myself. The most surprising/out-there choice is probably the pants I’m wearing; these are in the style of galabeya, a loose-fitting traditional Egyptian garment. The pants I’m wearing are more ornate than the galabeya worn in daily life (I actually bought these for a theme party when I visited family over winter break). The necklace I’m wearing is another nod to my heritage; the pendant is a hamsa hand, a symbol believed to ward off the evil eye. Aside from the detailing on the pants (and my glasses), this outfit is entirely black and white, which is on brand for me – I tend to stick with muted colors, such as black, white, navy, and red. While there’s nothing particularly exotic about the button down and blazer, I chose to wear them rather casually, rolling the sleeves up and leaving the top buttons undone, as well as wearing the blazer over my shoulders. The combination of the oversized blazer with the looser pants give the outfit a more relaxed feel, but the button down gives it a certain sense of structure. Finally, I paired the outfit with adidas sneakers and a hair tie to maintain the sense of sportiness associated with the original concept of Ivy.

Works Cited

Gillespie, Dizzy, et al. “On The Sunny Side of the Street.” Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/track/6vBgf2IELAFk4yt9eCaz0G?si=1d29727c19374033.

Piaf, Édith. “La Vie en Rose.” Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/track/3lAun9V0YdTlCSIEXPvfsY?si=c3c4952260414c31.

Tagle, Andee. “Find Your Authentic Personal Brand.” Life Kit, NPR, 9 January 2023, https://open.spotify.com/episode/0I38cSFnb1Ez4tAldGSXEa?si=57f6f65d7d62460b.

Trufelman, Avery. “American Ivy: Chapter 6.” Articles of Interest, 30 November 2022, https://articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-6.

Trufelman, Avery. “American Ivy: Chapter 7.” Articles of Interest, 7 December 2022, https://articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-7.

Social class can be described as “one’s position in the economic hierarchy in society that arises from a combination of annual income, educational attainment, and occupational prestige” (Kraus et al., par. 4). Trufelman touches on how “class determines… the clothing they wear” (par. 8), further confirming the notion that “when people engage in social interactions, some of their behaviors and cultural practices are infused with social class and, as a result, accurately communicate social class position to observers.” 

Subculture shares this inherent ability to communicate one’s membership within a certain strata of society to outsiders. “Broadly defined as social groups organized around shared interests and practices” (Herzog et al., par. 1), subcultures typically consist of “voluntary, informal, and organic affiliations formed either in the unregulated public square of the street, or conversely within and against the disciplinary structure of enforced institutionalization” (par. 2). 

In “American Ivy: Chapter 4” and “American Ivy: Chapter 5,” Trufelman flits between the histories of Kensuke Ishizu and Ralph Lauren, budding fashion titans of their times in Japan and in the United States, respectively, in order to demonstrate how Ivy, despite widespread opposition to it in both societies, due to its rebuke of standard fashion conventions in the East and its proximity to the mainstream during the countercultural revolution in the West, ultimately comes to predominate modern fashion due to evolving perceptions of class.

Works Cited

Herzog, Amy, et al. Interrogating Subcultures. In[]visible Culture: An Electronic Journal for Visual Studies, 1999, https://www.rochester.edu/in_visible_culture/issue2/introduction.html. Accessed 19 February 2023.

Kraus, M. W., et al. “Signs of Social Class: The Experience of Economic Inequality in Everyday Life.” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(3), 422–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616673192.

In “Pockets: Articles of Interest #3,” Trufelman explores the history and gendered dynamics of pockets in clothing, discussing the evolution of the pocket, particularly in womenswear, over the past few centuries, as well as its implications for those “who can walk through the world comfortably and securely,” and those who cannot.

Meanwhile, in “Suits: Articles of Interest #10,” she focuses on the history of menswear and its seemingly limited capacity for self-expression, particularly on how fear of suspicion and social ostracization has played a role in subduing menswear.

Ultimately, both of these texts explore the same fundamental idea: how gendered clothing serves to reinforce gender norms, and vice versa. While critical analysis of gendered clothing using a feminist approach is the most evidently productive, I think there’s something to be gained upon deeper inspection with an economic focus.

I have long held that, while the absence of pocket’s in women’s clothing is, to a significant extent, rather telling of the omnipresence of gender norms, it is also economic in nature. I believe the omission of useful pockets in womenswear is simply a ploy to sell more purses and handbags. Bear with me; this does sound somewhat conspiratorial in nature. But it’s not exactly the first time industries have invested a significant amount of time and capital in convincing audiences for the need of unnecessary goods in the name of successfully conforming to the expectations placed upon one’s gender.

Case in point: according to the Smithsonian, “in the early twentieth century, manufacturers of safety razors, seeking to expand their market, promoted the idea that body hair on women is inherently masculine and indelicate, as well as unhygienic” (“Hair Removal”, par. 5).

In “Pockets,” Trufelman discusses the development of the reticule in the early 19th century, a small, ornately decorated handbag meant to replace the traditional pockets worn under the more voluminous skirts typical of fashion prior to the turn of the century. While intricate, these reticules were almost entirely fashion and no function. The image above is of such a reticule, originating from Britain during the first quarter of the 19th century. Its lantern-like form is rather striking to the eye, however it is entirely transparent and full of small holes; this means that all of a woman’s possessions would be clearly visible to passers-by, and, furthermore, susceptible to falling through the cracks and being lost. As such, it is a rather inconvenient method of carrying one’s belongings.

I don’t believe this is meant to be a handbag for daily use. Rather, based on its particularly unique decoration and shape, I think it’s meant to complement an outfit, and act as a part of a whole ensemble, rather than stand alone. In creating such unique designs, retailers are thus able to sell a greater variety of products, attempting to convince consumers that, in order to fit into fashionable society, one must have a wide selection of purses for various different occasions.

Works Cited

“Hair Removal.” Smithsonian, si.edu/spotlight/health-hygiene-and-beauty/hair-removal#. Accessed 10 February 2023.

Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/track/3RauEVgRgj1IuWdJ9fDs70?si=d0715045c3d7471d.

Trufelman, Avery. “Pockets: Articles of Interest #3.” Articles of Interest, 2 October 2018, 99percentinvisible.org/episode/pockets-articles-of-interest-episode-3/.

Trufelman, Avery. “Suits: Articles of Interest #10.” Articles of Interest, 26 May 2020, 99percentinvisible.org/episode/suits-articles-of-interest-10/.

In American Ivy, “Chapter 3,” Trufelman discusses the historical context and relevance of Black Ivy, the Ivy-inspired aesthetic that gained prominence among students of historically black colleges and universities as well as civil rights activists in the mid-20th century.

Rather than being a mere adoption of Ivy within black America, “Black Ivy improved Ivy” (Trufelman, 00:32:21). Jason Jules, author of Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style, argues that “the embrace of Ivy style had to do with a desire to be seen as equal and not to allow particular prejudices and barriers to prevent you from doing that… There was an implicit challenge…of assumptions about who gets to own a certain style” (Trebay, par. 16). Trufelman ultimately presents Black Ivy as one of many examples of the cultural syncretism of Ivy, the predominant style of the elite originating from wealthy white anglo-saxon protestant Ivy League students, among disadvantaged groups in American society, including Jews, women, and African-Americans.

Timeline

I find it fascinating how the widespread adoption of Ivy among various groups can be viewed simultaneously as an endorsement and a rebuke of the ideals it represents; how it reflects the both the status quo and the political undercurrents of American society; and how it can serve as our reference iconography for abstractions like the idea of ‘cool’ or democracy.

Works Cited

Coltrane, John. “My Favorite Things.” Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZikLQCnH3SIswlGENBcKe?si=1a426779b43d41b3.

Trebay, Guy. “The Making of Black Ivy Style.” The New York Times, 17 November 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/style/black-ivy-style-jason-jules.html.

Trufelman, Avery. “American Ivy: Chapter 3” Articles of Interest, 9 November 2022, articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-3.

American Ivy: Chapter 1, produced by Avery Trufelman, explores the causes, consequences, and significance of trends, particularly the ubiquitous American ‘macro-trend’ of Ivy, a preppy-like style first coined by the Japanese authors of ‘Take Ivy,’ an anthropological study of fashion of the students of Princeton University conducted in 1965. Trufelman highlights the outsized influence of social media in recent years, noting that “everything is a trend… they’re all sort of meaningless because there are so many of them… the only real trend right now is trendiness itself” (Rachel Tashjian, 00:04:03). She further goes on to consider the sociological basis of trends, postulating “…maybe trends are, to a degree, something innate in human culture? A way we know how to follow each other and move within our time” (Trufelman, 00:08:52). 

Questions

Research Question 1: What role do trend forecasters play in the trend cycle?

Research Question 2: What might future trends look like?

Research Question 3: How and why has Ivy gained such prominence?

Research Question 4: What do trends reveal about an overall society?

Claims

Claim 1: Ivy is currently trending because of the increased value placed on education, and because people are seeking control in an unpredictable world.

Claim 2: Trends arise from the desire of wanting to stand out as an individual, but also fit into an in-group, as well as signify their identity to members of the out-group.

Claim 3: In the modern age of social media, the increase in the volume of trends has in turn lessened the significance and impact of such trends. 

Claim 4 (Preliminary Thesis): Through study of American Ivy, the dominant style of the United States, one can better understand its people, history, and ideals. 

I found the sociological and psychological rationale of trends to be the most compelling, personally. I find it fascinating that one can analyze not just an individual, but an entire population, through the lens of their taste in something as simple as the clothes that they choose to wear, and gain valuable insight into their lives, their dreams, and their challenges in doing so. 

Works Cited

Trufelman, Avery. “American Ivy, Chapter 1.” Articles of Interest, 26 October 2022, articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-1.

Articles of Interest, “Kids’ Clothes”

Kids’ Clothes: Articles of Interest #1, produced by Avery Trufelman, highlights the various ways in which fashion, technology, and culture mutually influence each other, focusing particularly on children’s clothing to explore our society’s perception of childhood. The series begins with a prelude tying the history of textiles to key advances in early computing, building support for the claim that “clothing and culture impact each other” (Roman Mars, 08:05-08:08). Throughout the episode, Trufelman discusses the history of children’s clothing and its evolution to its loud, unfettered, and uniquely strange modern form, as well as its relation to class, consumer protection laws, and parental preferences. 

Trufelman describes the role of clothing as “records of the bodies we used to live in” ( 11:43-11:46). I find it fascinating to think about a closet of old clothes as almost a sort of personal museum, where you’re confronted with your past interests, preferences, physique, and self-expression. Interestingly, Trufelman points out the irony of the overly bold style characteristic of children’s clothing, positing that “…you’d think that we would all start as young, blank canvases, dressed in shades of white and gray. Slowly acquiring more and more colors, more graphics, more signifiers of who we are as we age and solidify into ourselves… But no” (13:05-13:37).

I wonder if this is the case outside of the U.S. – the youthful fashion of “phony self expression… put in a blender with birthday cake and sequins” (13:39-13:44) seems like a uniquely American cultural export. When I visited family this past winter break, I noticed that my young cousins, from both Kuwait and Tunisia, wore exactly this style of children’s clothing, often adorned with slogans printed in English; I speculate that the advent of globalization has likely spread this phenomenon all over the world. This cultural influence is, however, less likely to reach more rural and/or conservative communities; I wonder what the norms for children’s clothing are there. 

Additionally, towards the end of the episode, Trufelman discusses the legal restrictions on children’s clothing with a friend, Morgan, who works as a technical designer for a children’s clothing company. Trufelman states that “these guidelines are the cobbled together aftermath of a series of disasters” (19:01-19:06), which begs the (morbid) question: what disasters?

Works Cited

Trufelman, Avery. “Kids’ Clothes.” Articles of Interest, 25 September 2018, 99percentinivisible.org/episode/kids-clothes-articles-of-interest-1/.