What's In A Label?

What's In A Label

They all come off anyway...

The first thing I do with a new outfit is to snip off the label on the back. It does not matter what it says on the label; I simply do not like the itchy-scratchy sensation which rubs against my skin, so off it goes. Now I can proudly declare that every apparel that hangs in my bursting-at-the-seams wardrobe has earned the right and pride to belong there, on its own merits, not by pedigree. There is a wide assortment - from so-called designer brands ( whew, very rarely ), overruns, sales merchandise ( mostly ), pre-loved, vintage, swops, thrift shop finds, to up-cycled ( current flavour of the day ).

I must admit the first time I did the chop on a designer label did bring on mixed feelings. I was actually sorry to see the label go, though I rarely pay guilty money for it - years of serial shopping and wide coverage has brought on a certain savvy in nosing out great bargains online. I will retain some trade secrets, although I can be bribed with a good meal. I did some deep soul-searching and came up with some pretty interesting revelations. 

Some labels count. That is why people will fork out good money for the "it" item, season after season. It's even worth die(t)ing for. Those who can't afford to buy it will rent it - just to be seen in it. After all, no one will be so crass as to ask whether you are the true owner or not - they will  simply assume you are - that's the whole point of it. Then there are labels attached to which district you live, what school you go to, what schools you send your children to,what car(s) you drive, what you do for a living, which company you work for, what and where you eat and drink, who your friends are, who your friends' friends are, which country club you belong to...you get the drift, the list goes on and on. 

So while I may feel liberated for a brief while erasing one label, I am still bound by labels of other sorts. Like it or not, labels define the person, and endows the person with a certain sense of identity ( pun unintended ). In more ways than one, the more labels a person wears, the more uncertain the identity of the person, and hence the need to pursue more labels, until that person proudly declares to the world that he/she is what he/she owns. In the meantime, the world moves on in its own self-absorbing ways. It's always good to reflect once in a while - who am I, rather than what do I own?

I have accumulated some labels over a few decades, well-meaning and other-wise. The ones I like are free-spirit,non-conforming, mischievous ( most recently ). The others are not worth mentioning. You shed some, earn some, work towards acquiring some. Everyday, , I am working towards this one - it begins with "i" and it is my hope and prayer that my children will be among those who will say - inspirational!