Phenetics and phylogenetics

Phenetics and phylogenetics are two philosophies for classification. Phenetics advocates classification based on appearance, while phylogenetics advocates classifying based on evolutionary history. While in biological taxonomy, phylogenetics won out entirely, the LCT-01 is different. We use a hybrid phenetic-phylogenetic system to classify clothing. Generally, but not always, high-level groups are phenetic, and lower-level groups are phylogenetic.

The root taxon of the LCT-01 is Vestimentia. It is divided into several groupings, all based on phenetics. For example, the phylum Scapunatoria is dedicated to any clothing with exposed shoulders, while Umerostentida is dedicated to exposed shoulders with sleeves (basically, both cold- and off-shoulder garments).

Phylogeny with no DNA?

Clothing has no DNA. If we tried, the results would make you think Vestimentia was just a glorified subspecies of Gossypium L. and the synthetic fabrics would probably get the entire Reptilia mess involved, alongside the other dead plant matter that became the oil that became plastic that became these synthetic fabrics.

The methods used to trace phylogeny in biological taxonomy are way too far above our heads as clothing taxonomists. Instead, phylogenetic links as defined in the LCT-01 are things like:

• A designer citing another designer as inspiration.
• A maker saying they combined two patterns into one for their project.
• A maker saying they drafted the sleeves on their own, used pattern such-and-such for the bodice, and another pattern for the skirt.

For example, Kewisia is held together by one shared characteristic (a synapomorphy): they were all made from version 2 of Nina Lee’s Kew dress pattern. This is a shared origin, a phylogenetic synapomorphy.