Head adornment as sign of marital status. A semiological study

• Author: Daniela Sorea
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 103-112

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşo v

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 11 (60) No. 2 - 2018

HEAD ADORNMENT AS SIGN OF MARITAL

STATUS. A SEMIOLOGICAL STUDY

Daniela SOREA1

Abstract: Contemporary clothing, as guided by fashion, provides

information on the identity of the wearer, the latter’s self representation and

their relation with society. The meaning of traditional clothing (the

traditional costume) is independent from and even opposed to fashion. The

semiological analysis of the head adornment worn by the unmarried and

married women in Rupea, Romania highlights that clothing is a signifier for

their marital status and confirms the importance of marriage in traditional

culture.

Key words: clothing, traditional culture, semiological analysis.

1. Introduction

Clothing communicates. It provides information about those who wear it, as well as

about the communities to which they belong. The clothing of contemporary Westerner s

is the expression of individualism as a feature of the cultural (and economic)

development of this part of the world. In such a context, the unconstrai ned choices

made in terms of garment shape the role and power of fashion as an instrument of

individualization.

However, the importance of fashion is not the same all over the world and the

effectiveness of dress as a sign does not necessarily depend on fashion. In traditional

cultures, innovations rather undermine than fuel the mea ning of clothing. That is most

obvious in the case of festive and ceremonial garment: their meaning is configured and

preserved within the community.

This study focuses on the meanings of the head adornments worn by the Romanian

women from Rupea, Brasov County along with their traditional clothing. It highlights the

system of semiological differentiations which makes the way women cover their head a

status telltale.

2. Methodology

As support for the semiological analysis I used photos from the private collections of

some Romanian dwellers from Rupea, as well as photos from my personal collection.

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, sorea.daniela@unitbv.ro