Cirrus@Austlit

'Clothing is one of the major elements that defines us as human beings. It is intrinsically important to religious ceremonies, attracting partners, impressing potential employers, and our assumptions about someone’s social standing. We wear different clothes at different times to signify different things. Consider the disparity between a funeral suit and a wedding suit. We use our clothing to broadcast and telegraph messages to each other without ever having to utter a word. We use our clothing as protection from the world, to block out the sun and to keep the rain at bay. Whether made of the finest silks or the barest threads, our clothing is part of our humanity. For this issue of SWAMP we asked our contributors to reflect on the importance of clothing in our lives, and the responses have been overwhelming.' (Editorial introduction)