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What is it about Toronto that doesn’t encourage people to self-express through dressing and outfitting? 

Why is it that here, it’s not important to be different and stand out? To be You-nique? Why do I feel like in Toronto, conformity is so heavily encouraged instead of individuality?

I just moved to my hometown of Toronto after living in other countries for 7 years and seeing my town with new eyes. The biggest thing I notice here is that everybody dresses in the same way.

Is it because we need each other to survive here because of the cold and dressing differently might make you an outcast, which is dangerous for survival? I’m getting primal with my analyzing here, but I thought I’d start with the basics.

Would being uniquely dressed change our output and productivity in this city? And having a “different style” in output and productivity, does that make your work too different for the majority of Torontonians and Canadians to relate to?

And following the work thread, would producing “different” work be bad for business? Is there a fear in this city that if your work was too different, not enough people would resonate with it? Would it upset them that you not like them or are not speaking the same language as them? Would it piss them off? Maybe at best, they won’t like your tone and ignore your work. The best case scenario is that they won’t resonate. At worse, they will get pissed off, be triggered, attack you and slander your name. 

How do you dress in Toronto?

Now turning the lens on you and me. How do you plan on dressing up now? Do you dress in confirming clothes? Do you try different getups? Why and why not? 

I plan on confirming. Haha. I’m announcing it. Why? Because I need a job. 

Will this affect my output? Yes. Will it make it more boring? No. Why not? Because perhaps if I have the security from the sameness if my outside appearance I will be brave to try and be different in my output. 

No matter what you look like Toronto, or what I look like in you, I love you and I’m yours.

Ritu

Art Spiegelman at AGO

Image Source: Joe Fresh blog

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