Sidney Siu
Cultural-Political Representations and Struggles
Pretty much every person expresses themselves through their style of what they clothe themselves with; whether it be an expression of identity brought by trends, social norms, or religion. As stated in Taste and Distinction Politics of Style, by Reina Lewis, “Everyone’s decisions about how to dress are formed by a mixture of choice and constraint, determined by personal and social circumstances or the cycles of the fashion system.” So, you could say that everyone is free to dress as they please, but some individuals are pressured by a religious society in which they engage with. Another factor in developing style is the influence of the close people around you, i.e. family, best friends, etc. Family plays a large role the cultural and political side of representation through dress because common factors within include financial means, cultural traditions, and upbringing in general. One example of this in comparison to the quote above (Lewis) is when a high school girl might be trying to find and express her identity through fashion and current trends, but is stuck in a wedge between what her classmates find suitable versus what her parents might want her to be wearing. She must identify her constraints and decide how she wants to go about dressing. Due to blatant racism in the U.S., many minorities find it uncomfortable or uncool to wear traditional clothing (even during holidays) outside in fear of judgment from others. These are just some examples of the cultural-political representations and struggles that Asian people and other POC face. 
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