CultureWatch

Appearance Documentary

Script
What you wear can say a lot about who you are – your occupation, preferences
and personality. It also shows whether you are trying to be part of a group, or
trying to stand out from the crowd.

Most British schools have a school uniform. But it can be controversial. Some
people think that a uniform helps to strengthen a group identity and also
make everyone feel equal. Other people think that a uniform stops
self-expression and is often uncomfortable and too formal.

All over the world, uniforms help identify the people who can help you in an
emergency. In Britain, you can telephone the number 999 to call the emergency
services and ask for help from the medical services, from the police, or from
the fire service.

Firefighters put out fires but also rescue people from many other dangerous
situations including car accidents. The British police do not normally carry guns
as part of their uniform as they do in some countries. The police are instantly
recognizable and can help with anything from street directions to serious crime.

Other jobs or professions have very special dress codes and uniforms which
play an important part in the ceremonial life of the UK. There are ancient
ceremonies in Parliament and connected with the monarchy, which millions
of tourists come to Britain to watch every year. Here, soldiers in ceremonial
uniform are marching into Buckingham Palace.

In 2011, the Royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton was a
cause for celebration. Everyone was wearing their best clothes. The Queen was
in a yellow dress and the bride was in the traditional white wedding dress and
veil. These horses and carriages are only used for special state occasions. The
decorations on this car are traditional at most weddings when the couple go
on honeymoon.

Scottish national dress is world famous with different tartans for different
families or clans. Surprisingly, there is no national dress for England, but Morris
dancing is traditional English folk dancing which dates back to the 14th century.
The dancers wear a range of costumes but always wear bells on their legs. The
costumes are always colourful and noisy.

People often choose to wear similar clothes so they fit in with the group when
they go to work. Today, very few men wear hats, but in the past, men often
wore a hat with a suit and a tie for work.

But not everyone wants to fit into a conventional image.

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Text © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015

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 CultureWatch
Appearance Documentary

Young people sometimes use their appearance to show how different they are
from their parents, or to identify with different kinds of music or simply to stand
out from the crowd. Sometimes they want to create their own group uniform.

And of course the world of fashion is all about pushing boundaries. British
designers are world famous and London Fashion Week shows all the top
designers, including Vivienne Westwood.
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Text © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015

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