Fashion Syntax: Concept of Contextual Dependence

Abstract

Fashion is a mode of language where man's has the ability to transcend his expression. Like language in this sense, dress functions as a kind if syntax, according to a set of more or less constant rules depending on whether it is dealing with traditional costume fashion. When article of clothing (item) and new dress forms have many possible meanings there is likely to be a certain degree of ambiguity. Moreover among the articles of clothing that are worn together many have numerous possible meanings and they also interact with one another to produce additional ambiguities. A contextual perspective allows people to manage and perceive appearances in everyday life, or the historical contexts in which people find them. The contextual approach enhances the people's understanding not only of appearance from people's viewpoints, but also how common such viewpoints are within a culture. The process of contextualizing allows people to see changes in the meanings of dresses as contexts dissolve into one another.The Kotte period of Sri Lanka marked the culmination of emerging novel dress features. The existing fashions were mixed and matched with South Indian and traditional Sri Lankan items of clothing. With the Portuguese invasion novel dress fashions were introduced with new articles (items) such as attached collar (tippet), buttons, cuffs, hats, and new dress forms like trouser (pantaloon) coat (cabaya) and jacket (hettaya). The royalties adopted new dress features into their original native dress. The objective of the present research is to explore how the articles of clothing and new dress forms mediated through fashion language and created new and different meanings in different contexts. The qualitative research method was adopted for the research.The research reveals that a fresh or new style may appear inappropriate when it is first introduced, but its novelty is essential to the arousal of interest in perceivers.