Are clothes a matter of pure aesthetic taste, or does it

make sense for clothes to become a subject in the

discussion of ethics? Why? How about other forms of
adornment such as tattoos and piercings?

OK, first and foremost, clothing is for protection: from cold, from heat, from wind, from
the elements.

Clothing is also worn for modesty. I think it was Desmond Morris who said it’s
impossible for one unclothed human to approach another without performing a genital
display… not always appropriate.

Clothing also presents an opportunity for aesthetic expression. Every culture does this;
even those in extremely hot places who wear a minimum of clothing add beads, paint or
feathers just for their beauty. We in the U.S. do the same with the color or fit of our
clothes.

Now, ethics may or may not be addressed in one’s clothes. In Western culture, clothing
becomes an ethical problem more often when clothing is not worn, as we have certain
taboos about nudity.

But, I think the author of the question is concerned about written messages on T-shirts
or tattoos. These can certainly be unethical when designed to deliberately offend. For
example, a baseball cap with “MAGA” on it is a statement of political affiliation; stating
one’s political stance is not an offense. A T-shirt that has “F… you, you F...ing
F…” is deliberately offensive.

If you’re actively looking for it, it’s possible to find nearly any form of clothing unethical.
For instance, there are people who object to silk so strongly that they will destroy a silk
shirt even when it’s being worn*; because worms are killed during silk’s manufacture
they find it unethical to wear silk.

Now, if this individual is offended by the silk shirt, that is his individual problem. But, if
he attacks the person in the shirt with the object of ruining it, that results in a new issue:
who is behaving unethically, the guy in the shirt, or the guy ripping the shirt up? The
same thing happens more often with fur. Example: would-be attacker(s) leave home with
cans of spray paint in anticipation of finding a vicim; a woman wearing fox fur is going
to the eye doctor. Who’s guilty of unethical behavior, the woman wearing fox, or the
person(s) who spray her coat with paint? It seems clear enough to me, but there are
people who would find this a hard choice.

And, that is the soul of the problem: we, at least in the U.S., do not all practice the same
ethics. That gives us plenty of chances for our ethics to clash. This problem is made even
more extreme when, as now, everyone’s ethics are considered equally valid (and, this
has not always been the case). How does one decide who is behaving ethically, and who
is not?

It’s a question I can’t answer, as I am not fit to decide on behalf of the entire country.

But, it would be an improvement if everyone was a bit more cognizant of how his
actions impacted others.

*How they can be certain it’s really silk without a confession beats me.

** And, they never pay cash on the spot for the coats they ruin  or  offer the victim a clean
coat.