INTRODUCTI0N
In this presentation, we will be looking at, comparing and presenting three specific aspects
namely fashion, music and sport of two countries, being Pakistan and New York, the former
being from the eastern hemisphere and the latter from the western hemisphere. The aim is to
showcase the different aspects of the culture of both countries and get a clearer understanding of
factors that influence them.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this presentation we would be able to:

Define culture

Discuss the various facets of fashion, music and sports in New York and Pakistan

Discuss factors that influence the differences in the cultural practice between both
countries
DEFINE CULTURE
Culture is a complex system of meaning and behavior that defines a way of life of a given group.
It is divided into two aspects, Material eg. Clothing, musical instruments, paintings, buildings,
books and stationery etc and Non-material eg. values, norms and customs that people share with
one another. This is further supported by Haralambos, Holborn and Healds who stated that “…it
is the way of life of its members: the collection of ideas and habits which they learn, share and
transmit from generation to generation. Culture develops as people interact with one another over
time and it allows us to adapt to extreme environment. Thus we can say that culture is a form of
organization that involves co-operation between individuals in order to produce things they need
for their survival.
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NEW YORK FASHION
The clothes we wear and the trends we follow are often associated with superficiality and
materialism. Fleeting styles come rapidly into vogue, then disappear as quickly as they came.
But fashion has always been intrinsically connected to deeper elements of the American
experience, from the economy and labor system to culture, religion, and class. From our
underwear to our Levi's to our sneakers, what we wear has, for centuries, spoken volumes about
who we are, what we do, and what we want. Whether Americans have dressed to make a
political statement, to assert their class status, or simply to be irreverent, every style has carried a
certain social meaning. This is in part because our culture has long ascribed great significance to
individuals' public image, and because image has long been intertwined with the American
capitalist economy. As Mark Twain once wrote, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have
little or no influence on society."1 Then again, Twain never lived to see the rise ofPlayboy.
Clothes—or the lack thereof—remain central to contemporary American culture and integral to
our national history.
Fashion norms have changed greatly from decade to decade. The United States has generally
followed and in some cases led trends in the history of Western fashion. It has some unique
regional clothing styles, such as western wear. Blue jeans were popularized as work clothes in
the 1850s by merchant Levi Strauss, a German immigrant in San Francisco, and adopted by
many American teenagers a century later. They are now widely worn on every continent by
people of all ages and social classes. Along with mass-marketed informal wear in general, blue
jeans are arguably U.S. culture's primary contribution to global fashion. As you walk the streets
of New York you are sure to see a male with a blue jeans on, followed by a T-Shirt which is
another popular clothing worn throughout the United States by many types of people. It can be
plain and white, or colored with company logos or funny messages. T-shirts are arguably the
most worn type of shirt in the United States.
Certain events such as New York Fashion Week are one of the most anticipated events, where
top designers showcase their line of fashionable clothing. The country is also home to the
headquarters of many leading designer labels such as Ralph Lauren, Victoria secret and Calvin
Klein. Labels such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Eckō cater to various niche markets, New York
being the leader in trends and designer wear.
CLOTHING IN PAKISTAN
The term Pakistani clothing refers to the ethnic clothing that is typically worn by individuals in
the country of Pakistan and by the People of Pakistani descent. Pakistani clothes express the
Culture of Pakistan, the Demographics of Pakistan and Cultures from the Punjab, Sindh,
Balochistan, Pashtun and Kashmir regions of the country. Dress in each regional culture reflect
weather conditions, way of living and distinctive style which gives it a unique identity among all
cultures.
Pakistani dressing has similarities with Indian dressing because of pre-independence culture
which was shared by these nations for thousand years but the religious factor was always there
which makes a difference. Traditional Pakistani dressing also shares similarities between the
ethnic groups of central Asia and ethnicities of the Iranian plateau such as the Turkic ethnic
groups (i.e. Khazakhs, Uzbeks, Turkmens) and Iranian ethnic groups (Tajiks, Khorasani Persians
and Pashtoons), that have been separate from the cultures of modern day Pakistan during the
Durand agreement between Afghanistan and the British raj.
With the passage of time Pakistanis are adapting modern dress and cultural clothing, especially
SPORTS IN NEW YORK
Sports is an important part of the culture of the United States. The four major professional sports leagues
in the United States are Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the
National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL); all four enjoy massive US media
exposure and are considered the preeminent competitions in their respective sports in the world, although
only basketball and baseball (and to a lesser extent hockey) have substantial followings in other nations.
Sports are particularly associated with education in the United States, with most high schools and
universities having organized sports. College sports competitions play an important role in the American
sporting culture, and certain college sports — particularly college football and college basketball — are at
least as popular as professional sports. The major sanctioning body for college sports is the NCAA.
PAKISTAN SPORTS
Football is the second most popular sport in Pakistan. Football has also enjoyed a powerful
growth as a spectator sport, and is slowly catching up to cricket in the TV ratings (2008
statistics). The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is the governing body in Pakistan. Football is
played mostly on the local level, primarily in Balochistan and Swat Valley. These areas provide
most of the players on the Pakistani national football team. The Pakistan Football Federation
Women Organizing Committee (PFFWOC) is responsible for women's football in Pakistan. In
2004, the Pakistan Premier League was established and is the first division of Pakistani football.
Indian music works in patterns called ragas whereas western music is represented by notes.
Ragas are specific patterns that prescribe the sequence in which a given set of notes on a given
pitch are to be played.
MUSIC
In comparison, western music has different scales depending on a given genre in which a given
set of notes are played.
According to popular perception, western music is more flexible(talk about bending the rules)
than Indian music.
If you had to portray both on a graph, then western music would be shown as specific points on
the graph whereas Indian music would be shown as lines or shapes.
America is a world force that dominates the fashion industry and influences fashion culture.
From pre industrial times to modern contemporary, societal trends in clothing has evolved with
the changes in time . In pre industrial times men and women were more conservatively dress and
women wore long dresses that covered their body and men were more neatly attired and wore
tailored clothing.
FACTORS INFLUENCING BOTH COUNTRIES
America is a cosmopolitan country which consist of a mixture of different ethnicities because of
the progression of immigrant migration overtime. The state of New York is the most
concentrated part of the United States that has the largest diaspora of immigrants residing. New
York is one of the states that have greater freedom of expression when it relates to their fashion,
music and sports. America on the whole is a liberal country that does not conform to draconian
law. Because of this New York culture and practices tend to change rapidly and the population
readily adapt to these changes.
Pakistan on the other hand is a country where the society is mainly made up of indigenous
people. It is a very conservative country that is governed by strict laws and maintains their
cultural practices from pre-industrial to modern times. Their religious belief which is mainly
Islam has a major part to play in their day to day activities. Their sense of fashion is to conform
to their religious belief. By women’s religious clothing we mean the dressing in which they try to
cover all their body parts except face and hands while going outside from their home. Most
women cover their head with Dupatta or Chadar in outdoor but religious women prefer to wear
Scorf Burga or Hijab and wear lose long and full sleeve shirt. It is also a male dominated country
and of recent women are now being able to partake in sports and other cultural activities.
In conclusion according to the demographic area both New York and Pakistan have developed
cultural practices to adjust to their environment and they have produce trends in fashion, sports
and music but yet still these aspects are vastly different when compared to each other.
Fashion industry
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Regional and cultural variation
Dress norms in the United States are generally consistent with those of other post-industrial
western nations and has become largely informal since the mid 20th century. Clothing in the
United States also depends on a variety of factors including location, venue, and demographic
factors such as ethnicity. Blue jeans are a consistent fashion trend among all classes. a type of
ethnic clothing used for cultural events found south of the United States (U.S.)
The western states are commonly noted for being more informal in their manner of dress than
those closer to the eastern seaboard. Furthermore, individuals belonging to certain ethnic groups
such as some Native American tribal members and individuals of Scottish descent may wear
clothing to represent their ethnic identity at certain events. Conspicuous consumption and a
desire for quality have also lead to a strong preference for designer label clothing among many in
the middle and upper classes.
America is a world force that dominates the fashion industry and influences fashion culture.
From pre industrial times to modern contemporary, societal trends in clothing has evolved with
the changes in time . In pre industrial times men and women were more conservatively dress and
women wore long dresses that covered their body and men were more neatly attired and wore
tailored clothing.