When I was in London, my style was as eclectic, out-there and diverse as the city and the throngs of people that lived there. The rhythm of the city, the sights, sounds and colors influenced all my creativity and individuality in my choice of clothes, shoes, bags and jewelry. On the streets, there was such a mix of styles and personalities -- no one really dressed like the other but ironically, I think that sometimes, we were all alike in our common individuality.
When I came to Doha, it was a sort of a culture shock to me. It was much more reserved and the cultural norms were different from what I was used to. Coming here was difficult not only because I was leaving all my friends and the city I loved, but because I would have to put the brakes on the sort of weird and wonderful style I had created as my own and adjust it to suit the cultural norms of Qatar. I self-consciously reigned in my need to dress differently as I experienced the cultural gap between me and my new environment. Even though I wasn’t expected to wear the abaya, I felt myself to be restricted and my personality was drawn in.
Now being a student at VCUQ, we are encouraged to cross boundaries, express ourselves and be creative. Wanting to go to the Fashion Department, I was inspired to express myself through my clothes. Confidence in my fashion choices has increased and I am beginning to feel more at home. Interestingly, I am beginning to realize, that, in fact, quite often, sitting among my new friends, we all seem to be dressed quite similarly, while standing out as individual personalities. This fits the definition of subcultures. These are, according to Ferrante:
“Groups that share in some parts of the dominant culture but have their own distinctive values, norms, beliefs, symbols or material culture.”I strongly believe if I had been in any of the other Education City universities, my style of dress would have been markedly different.
