One can understandably expect Santiago, a man of high class and one dealing with his father's business, to wear formal attire. Starched clothing is known for making clothing look more formal, which is interesting to note because Santiago is the one who wears unstarched white linen clothing and José Dias, a dependant, is the one who wears starched white trousers. As satisfied as they seem on the outside, these two characters enjoy experiencing lifestyles that do not fit with the world that they grow up in. This is especially true in José Dias's case, " with a sigh, he confessed that he was not a doctor- (12). Here José Dias tries to get a taste of what his life would be like if he were to be a doctor, a situation that causes some confusion between him and Bento's father. .
The ways these two men dress reveal a few of the many ironical aspects of the two novels. Although the starched clothing gives José Dias a formal and well-to-do look, it also symbolizes his consistent need to depend on Bento's family due to the fact that his clothes need to also be repeatedly starched. Santiago Nasar, being one of the richest men in his village, does not get the chance to wear formal attire because "his skin was so delicate that it couldn't stand the noise of starch- (5). Along with the trousers, José Dias always wears his trouserstraps, which are according to Bento, out of style. The trouserstraps suggest the exact opposite of that of the trousers. The straps supporting the trousers, literally, suggest that José Dias does not only depend on Bento's family, but also contributes to the family in anyway he can. An example of this would be when he first comes to Bento's house and helps their slaves by using his limited homeopathic skills. .
The color of Santiago's clothing gives the illusion that the man wearing the outfit is pure and innocent. While reading the beginning of Chronicle of a Death Foretold, it is easy to picture Santiago as an innocent vulnerable dove, one completely unaware of what surrounds him.
