13543 Clothes
TOEFL Independent Writing Task 2
Essay Topic: Different Clothes
Example Writing by Jeenn Lee Hsieh
谢振礼 ielts360toefl@hotmail.com
Essay Question (TWE/185):
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific reasons and examples (from your knowledge or experience) to support your answer.
Sample Essay (Jeenn Lee Hsieh):
Different clothes do not necessarily influence the way people behave for the simple reason that their behaviors are linked to personalities (or what they think) rather than to what they wear. Although clothing oneself is a social behavior, different clothes are actually meant for different circumstances under which civilized people act in conformity. It can be argued that different clothes are supposed to match different occasions, meaning how people choose their clothing does little to change their behaviors; but what they think certainly does.
It goes without saying that human beings have learned to cover their bodies originally for protection from natural elements and not purposely for changing behaviors. In fact, any person in different clothes, or when naked, cannot be somebody else. Different occasions that dictate particular behaviors from time to time should not be mistaken for different clothes which are only required by different circumstances, such as a romantic moment or a business meeting. As an illustration, the moment comes when a woman decides to dress sexy, then she looks sexy and feels sexy, thus acting under the influence of the situation and not of the underwear. Likewise, it is the particular mood in an important meeting and not a formal suit and a fashion tie that would make a difference in behavior. According to this logic, whatever clothes people intend to put on do not really influence their behaviors, much less their personalities.
Interestingly enough, the same logic may apply to men and women alike; however, it seems that clothes make a woman more than a man, under a range of circumstances. As often as not, both sexes think differently, and what they think (rather than what they wear) affect their behaviors correspondingly. For example, ask any woman around the corner why in her mind is always a lovely dress; and if she were honest, the answer could be that most women dress to please themselves as well as to annoy other women. In comparison, usually a man is inclined to believe that good clothes open to all doors, thinking that he stands better chances in the society. In short, people's personalities directly monitor the way they think, but different clothes do not directly monitor the way they behave.
Human beings are thinking creatures, so it does not matter when they are clothed or when they are naked. To varying extents, men and women are motivated to wear different clothes for different reasons in different moods under different circumstances. Nevertheless, one thing is sure: people very much change clothes; but clothes do little to change people's behaviors, let alone their personalities. (Essay created by Jeenn Lee Hsieh 谢振礼ielts360toefl@hotmail.com 在线批改作文)