By: Alice Su

You wake up, survey your closet, and pick something to wear. Whether you choose the white or blue shirt, it won’t make much of a difference. Clothes… are pretty simple, right?

No. The classical fairy tale trope can disprove this. In Cinderella, a sparkling new gown allows her to attend the ball. In the Six Swans, by the Brothers Grimm, a garment can change boys into swans. In Christian Andersen’s The Red Shoes, those red shoes force a vain girl to dance until death.

“Magic is inherently about transformation,” fashion historian Hilary Davidson stated. He added, “Clothing is also the easiest way for humans to transform, disguise, reveal, and become apparently more or less than they are.”

Not only that, but many movies such as Miss Congeniality (2000) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006) show that all a woman needs is some makeup, a haircut, and a new wardrobe to go from an ugly duckling to a majestic swan. The titular character in Sabrina (1954) departs for Paris as a gawky teenager and returns as a poised, knowledgeable woman. Her suitcase is packed with stylish Givenchy outfits. With her new sophisticated aura, she grabs the attention of entitled men who once ignored her.

These movies fulfill many fantasies: they can be seen as who they want to be. Clothes don’t just grant honor and beauty. They upraise their wearers, making them worthy of praise and admiration.

But that is the talk of fairy tales, where magic tricks happen in an instant. Stories imply that a new self is waiting just ahead on a mannequin or in the stitches of a dress about to be slipped on. But everything in real life happens slowly. It is burdensome. It takes time and understanding. No wonder why we are captivated by fantasies, where the flick of the switch leads to status, wealth, and beauty.

So when deciding between that blue or white shirt, opt for the blue if you want to seem dependable and calm. Go for white to get a clean and subtly fresh look. But whatever you pick, don’t expect it to change your life.