Mannequin Journal #1

I wonder what Holden would think if he heard of a story like this—but I am almost certain that we would have some sort of reaction to the ”project” or ”experiment” of wearing something and feeling like you have become something that is inhuman, or wearing something that has been selected by someone else in order to assist you in choosing an outfit that is matching and “normal.” I think that fashion is interesting—especially with how much today it connects with ones personal identity, and Holden’s hunting hat is a great example of Holden choosing to wear something that is not on display in the store, and instead something that is unique and not the cool “sweater over untucked dress shirt” that I guess was popular at the time this article was published. Maybe this is why he likes wearing it—while everyone else is trying to wear almost similar things (which Holden would undoubtedly consider a phony action), he instead tries to do something that will prevent him from falling into the phony fashion trap.

I like when Klosterman states, “maybe this offers some kind of interesting insight on consumerism and vanity and what dictates who we really are,” but he concludes with simply spilling something on it, which a mannequin would never do. Maybe he is saying that clothes are just clothes, and that we should stop trying to use them too much to identify us and our characteristics. But this idea of “who we really are” is stuck in my head, and I know that Holden would have some insights into this. If everyone in his adventure is phony and two-faced, I suppose that Holden just wishes that we stopped playing the game

·      the fashion

·      the speaking

·      the actions

 

Mannequin Journal #2

The idea of phony maybe relates in some way to both the article and the book. I guess Holden would have some strong feelings about someone buying everything from a mannequin, since the consumers are not thinking for themselves and instead just doing what other people tell them to. I wonder about this idea of conformity, and if Holden has talked about conformity already. He starts out by talking about how everyone is down at the game, and taking it seriously even if they don’t really care about it. I also wonder if Holden considers some of the advice that he gets from friends and teachers is just what they think they should say, instead of what they really mean. And at least Holden tries to point out to us (at least I think he does) when he is lying and when he is being honest with us. It also makes me think of movies for some reason, and why he thinks they are so phony. I think of Holden picturing the actors with scripts of what they should say, and costumes of what they should wear, and it makes me think of Chuck’s idea of “being alive” and being human and doing human things like spilling gravy on your new sweater. I also like the idea of Chuck looking himself in the mirror, and how he finds it hard to recognize himself with these clothes on that were chosen by someone else. This reminds me a lot of when Salinger narrates that Holden looks in the mirror, all bloody and with his hat on. I wonder what Holden was thinking—and why he decides to include this bit of information in his book—but I think he is in some ways looking at himself as someone that he recognizes, especially with his carefully chosen anti-mannequin hunting hat, which I have never seen displayed in a store. Well, maybe a hunting store, but it is definitely unique for a 16-year-old to be wearing, as everyone notes. Maybe the untucked part is that semi-rebelliousness that makes its way to mainstream culture, much like Holden’s turning his hat around backwards “the way he likes it.” As if wearing a hunting hat is not enough, Holden even has a way to distinguish himself from other hunters, should he interact with them.

·      More about the Hunting Hat

·      Jacket Stradlater