/əˈtaɪ.ər/   ·   noun

Old French atirier — to set in order, to dress, to equip.

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01 · what it means

Clothingespeciallyof aparticular kind,or for aparticularoccasion.

02 · the shapes around us

A word lives
in the shapes
we put on.

The letters you just watched dress themselves are still here — quieter now, larger, behind the page. A blouse. A shirt. A pair of trousers. Architecture made from a word.

03 · attire is a category, not a costume

Four guises.

  • 01

    ceremonial

    the robe, the sash, the inherited weight of cloth on a shoulder.

  • 02

    formal

    a suit, a tie that knots itself the same way every wedding.

  • 03

    everyday

    denim, cotton, a coat that knows your shape better than you do.

  • 04

    athletic

    wicking fabric, rubber sole — clothing that intends to sweat.

04 · in a sentence

Theweddingpartyarrivedinfullceremonialattiresilk,brocade,andthecareful,deliberateweightofaninheritancewornontheshoulders.

A word that knows it has a body. And dresses for it.

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Attire — Beautiful Words