There’s a resale shop in town that sells “gently-used name brand fashions” like Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister and American Eagle. The shop’s name is Plato’s Closet-which struck me as an odd name for a used clothing store. The closet part I could understand, but who was Plato? The owner? The owner’s dog? I mean, I’d heard of THE Plato-but what did he have to do with clothing? I pondered, but to no avail.
It was only when we actually bought something there that all became clear. Our purchase was placed in a plastic bag that said “Plato’s Closet. I wear. Therefore, I am.” “Eureka!” I shouted. (Well, not really.) It is THE Plato! But instead of being Plato’s Cave (where captives see shadows of the real world flickering on the wall in the firelight) it had become Plato’s Closet where teens can buy upscale items in their second life; shadows of the real world of prep fashion. The clue that tipped me off, of course, was “I wear. Therefore, I am.” –even if that’s a morphication of Descartes and has nothing to do with Plato–unless of course, I want to prove that I’m as real as my clothes used to be, or something like that.
All in all, pretty clever in a weird, kinda twisted way. And though it may never get a second thought from 90 percent of the teens shopping there, it still made me laugh.
Wearable epistemology. Reality: what a concept!
Yes, but if you *really* think about slogan, perhaps it’s not so nice: I wear (cool clothes), therefore, I am? You are what you wear? As a joke, it’s cute. As a life’s philosophy, not so much.
On the other hand, the fact that it’s a resale shop already takes a bit of the snobbishness out of it. A resale shop is, by nature, at least somewhat in touch with the realities of life. Still, who came up with the name? A philosophy major turned entrepreneur? And as for “you are what you wear” and “you are what you own” and “you are where you live” and “you are who your people are”–I just figure Popeye got it right.
Had to jog my memory to get the rundown on Plato
but I admire the entrepreneur who relates to the college community. Keep musing
I just sorta figure it’s kind of like titling a movie “Napoleon Dynamite.” But I will cast a vote with the Roving Librarian – and Popeye!