JuriKnowledge

Richard T. Ford, an influential law professor, explores in Dress Codes how our clothing choices go beyond fashion to become statements of identity, symbols of power, and arenas of social control. Fashion, much more than an aesthetic concern, is a tool of communication, where individualism sometimes clashes with state authority, as seen with uniforms or the hijab, which sparks debates on individual rights and social norms. What we wear reflects our identity, constantly shaped by cultural borrowing. Women’s dress codes, tied to tradition and their reproductive role, still raise questions today about the balance between personal expression and societal control.