Each of us is a unique person with a unique personality. There never has been someone else like us before and there never will be someone else like us in the future. Each of our own style expresses who we are.
Each character in the Tribe is unique too – and their style is shaped by who they are in terms of their personality, beliefs, appearance, and attitude.
Zandra loves to wear nice clothes and make-up and to have her hair in her own special way – and this affects her style.
Due to the breakdown of normal society and everyday life, there aren’t hairstylists and make-up or clothes shops for Zandra to go to. Instead, Zandra must create her own style for her hair, make-up and clothes in her own way using whatever she can find.
In the world of the Tribe, there would be no fashions and general styles being shaped by society in the way it is today – like television, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, books – because none of these things would exist anymore.
This would mean each person would be free to create whatever style they wanted for themselves because there would be no standard fashions and no ‘normal’ ways of doing things – because there would be no ‘normal’ society.
Zandra is therefore free to use whatever make-up she can find in whatever way she feels like. She wouldn’t be concerned about what people would think of her appearance if she was walking down the street – because that type of society would not exist in the Tribe.
In the Tribe, people wear whatever combinations of clothes they like – and wear make-up in whatever style they want- and have their hair in whatever style they want it.
If you liked to wear shorts, wanted long hair and wanted some warpaint/make-up on then you could do that in the Tribe because everyone else has their own styles and wear whatever they want – there is no standard way of doing things anymore.
If you wanted to be neat and tidy and have a clean appearance then you could do this (as long as you could find scissors, shampoo and bathroom accessories!).
But if you didn’t really care about your appearance – or if you preferred the “grungy” look then you could have that style because nobody else in the world of the Tribe would mind. If you want to have long hair – you could have it. If you wanted to forget about ironing and have wrinkly clothes instead – then no problem, you could do that!
You wouldn’t have to worry about having a smart appearance for school – because there would be no school!
If you loved animals or were into computers then you could dress a certain way that would represent your interest in these things and who you are – you might have an emblem or logo of your favourite computer on your clothes, or pictures of your favourite animals. You might even have make-up on your face in the style of your favourite animal – nobody would mind!
Tai-San is into the spiritual side of life and has her own set of beliefs and values. She tries to express herself in her clothes and style in a natural and elemental way. She is not into fancy and wacky costumes like Zandra but prefers a more neutral and plainer style.
Due to her spirituality, Tai-San is into crystals and natural and herbal remedies so she often carries crystals and herbs – that’s her style and who she is – and in the Tribe, she is free to do that.
Style in the Tribe (like for us all today) is shaped by who you are – but in the Tribe (unlike today), you could express yourself and your style in whatever way you wanted to.