"Ritualistic circumstances"?

[CMcG]

A copy of "American Gothic," and my picture standing by the Indian Fig cacti with a pitchfork while wearing a canvas kilt are both still in my profile album. That's all I have to say.

I love that picture!

"Of course some people have an aberrant disregard for what others think, which is another story."
CMcG, I understand and have often experienced that easily cutting both ways, but it popped a question into my mind.

Do you find yourself, knowing that you may be being perceived incorrectly by outsiders of sorts, reconsidering or analyzing your own impressions and reactions to people or groups, or even their signs and symbols?

Knowing that my kilt-wearing may be perceived incorrectly by outsiders makes me reserve it for more or less ritualistic circumstances; I'm only a daily kilt-wearer in the privacy of my own home.

In terms of my own impression of other people, I try to keep an open mind. When I read clothing semiotically, I will usually hold the symbolically available meanings balanced against the contextual information, and then try to make the most charitable interpretation. If there is someone that I am interacting with (as opposed to just observing) and I am perplexed by their clothing, I would try to politely ask them for clarification of their intended meaning. And I'm quite difficult to offend...

The flip side of freedom of dress should be tolerance of difference. I am all too aware, however, that inclusiveness and permissiveness are lofty ideals, so I try to dress according to the circumstances.