There are very few studies based on what is now coined “streetwear” or the culture that surrounds it. This is mostly due to it being a combination of a number of different sub cultures and tribes. In order to further understand street wear, it is helpful to understand how consumers portray their identities through what they wear as, “fashion is never innocent and is more than mere appearance” (Barnard, Fashion as communication, 2002)”. Paul Khali Saucier investigated the ways that Cape Verdean youth from the Boston area created individual and social identities through fashion (Cape Verdean Youth Fashion: Identity in clothing). Saucier provided great insight into the sociological perspective of how fashion relates to consumers and society on a larger scale. According to Saucier, “Fashion is a form of non-verbal communication. The dressed body communicates our personal and social identities (Barnard 2002; Barthes 1967; Calefato 2004; Lurie 2000). It expresses our thoughts, feelings, and desires, as well as group membership (Hebdige 1981).” The way people dress is used as an unspoken method of showing the world where they stand in society or how they would like to be perceived. Saucier also referenced Hildi Hendrickson’s book “Clothing and Difference: Embodied Identities in Colonial and post-Colonial Africa” raising the point that, “the body surface is an especially compelling indexical sign. Bodily signifiers present an ever-present semiotic possibility for expressing identity and intention, for asserting the legitimacy of the status-quo or subverting it” (Hendrickson 1996:14–15). This applies to the streetwear market, which is founded upon a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream fashion and culture. In order to explain how ...
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...ly appeals to a young street market but also to a wider age and social group. According to WWD, Saks' Jennings said that he could see two key trend merging in menswear collections: youthful contemporary street wear and Savile Row tailoring, “There is still a gap, but there was more meet in the middle, and the younger designers are maturing and evolving, more so than in the past.”
One of the most essential parts of street wear is the culture itself; Nat Thomson AKA A Silent Flute is an internationally known street wear blogger who summarized streetwear as, “ basically just everything you’ve been into for as long as you can remember, all under one roof. It connects the dots between X-Clan and Butthole Surfers, sneakers and gallery art, fashion and hating fashion… it’s also a cool way to meet people that don’t suck.” (Vogel, S, Streetwear).
Something people might frequently worry about is self-identity, and how to express who they are. When looking for an outlet to do this, the easiest way to show what kind of person someone is, clothes are usually the first choice: a black t-shirt with a cynical saying, or maybe some skinny black jeans. Whether the advertising agencies created the personalities that come with clothes or took advantage of what was already there, clothes are often sold as something more than just clothes. Companies must ask how to convince consumers to buy their product instead of the competitors’, regardless of price difference. Particularly Levi’s jeans, a 150+-year-old American business, has been trying different approaches to packaging the type of consumers that buy their jeans.
Throughout each decade particular lifestyles have influenced the styles of fashion in many different aspects. History throughout each decade being a period of 10 years, has had certain lifestyles, referring to the way of life and the way an individual lives and these lifestyles throughout these years have influenced the fashion, fashion being a trend of either clothing, personal appearance and behaviour. Many life events or Historical events from the years 1960 to 2000’s have had reactions from the fashion industry; certain decades in particular lifestyles had either rebellion or a positive reaction. In 1960 there was a rebellion from young adults as well as women which influenced the fashion of that decade, in which fashion was similar to the 1970s fashion however 1970 was known as the disco age. Whereas the 1980 was a decade of entertainment in all forms which influenced mostly teenagers in their style of fashion. However the 1980s entertainment impact on teenagers carried on in the 1990 and 2000s although fashion focused more on the impact of music rather than all forms of entertainment, these decades were eras of grunge music and heavy metal. Therefore fashion became and becomes the portrayal of the lifestyle in a particular period of time or history.
Young people need more attention or acceptance from others comparing with people at other stages, as youths are experiencing a process of being adults. The formation of identity can be exemplified through fashion. Young people tend to establish their identities through the way they dress. As Hall,S (1997) stated, visible objects, like clothes may have a simple physical function, that is to cover the body and protect it from weather, however clothes also have a function which can double up as signs, which construct a meaning and carry a message. Fashion can also be a language that makes clothing possible become a self-communicative device at our disposal, plays a...
Fashion is a form people use as a way for self expression. For me, fashion dictates how a person sense of style is; some may be bold and loud or simple and calm in which it also gives others an outlook on how their character may be. Although fashion is a way to express ones’ sense of style it does not tells us who the person is personally. Fashion in the society of the 1900s has changed female gender roles then and now by the way their roles changed during the time.
It’s no secret that some women believe fashion portrays who they are. Therefore follow every season’s new trend. This leads to spending money that they don’t have. Waller Lea, a journalist, suggest that “for some communities, purchasing knockoffs or generic products are frowned upon, forcing minorities to spend more money. Now businesses and companies are targeting minorities, causing more debt problems.” Addicted to retail or brainwashed? Opponents claim that fashion is simply a creative way to express themselves. There are others ways to express ourselves that are no based on our appearance. Through drawing, painting or through our thoughts and ideas. What happens when someone can’t afford expensive clothing or doesn’t have access to fashionable clothes? They are singled out and excluded from society for being different.
It is necessary to identify fashion and explain the systems apparel industry uses before I start explore the essentiality of fast fashion. According to Dictionary.com, fashion is defined as the prevailing style or custom that is in a current mode and used to express oneself. It can be clothing, accessories, hair, etc. Why certain people like to frequently shop in malls and keep updating apparels in their closets every season? Form psychological perspective, people usually consider clothing as a symbol to show their values, personality and lifestyles to others. Critically, a rapid imaginative change and symbolic expression supports a sense people have about fashion. People believe that an ideal self-identity can be communicated to others through clothing, so figuring out how people make decision when they perceive clothing among different brands and understanding their needs and desires can help apparel industries expending and maintaining market s...
From this I want to argue that the world of consumption has a great influence on the way people create their identities. I shall explore important features of the nature and function of fashion, as it’s relevance offers models and materials for constructing identity. I then want to further my argument on whether consumption is seen as a passive process reflecting producer interests or an active process representing consumer interests, as this can determine how ones identity, or lack of, is perceived.
Fashion in the 21st century is a big business, as its production employs millions of people and generates billions of dollars in revenue. Fashion has for the past century been, and is still today, used as an indicator of social change and progress, as it changes with the social norms of the society and the political changes of the world (Finkelstein 3). Works Cited Finkelstein, Joanne. A.S.A. & Co. Fashion: An Introduction to Fashion. New York: New York University Press, 1998.
For example, if people saw me wear Concords, they would categorize me as being into basketball or hip hop. It is also mostly guys who are wearing basketball shoes that notice my shoes. Therefore, it makes me feel masculine and makes me feel like I belong to the basketball or hip hop culture, but at the same time, I feel like I do not belong to a certain group. Thus, fashion is different in ethnics group, gender, and class because it serves to unite people or to establish a separation from other groups. It originated from women in order to make up for their disadvantage status, middle class in order to increase their social status and marginal social groups for their lack of social importance and cities for social density and wealth (Fashion, 310). Therefore, fashion play an important role in our lives back then and
There have been many instances where I am stopped and commented on what I’m wearing. Depending on a single item of clothing, I am either a “certified hippie”, “lesbian”, or “law student”. This has brought me to raise an important social question: How have fashion and advertising built identity stereotypes? Stereotyping can have a strong and negative impact on a person, especially younger generations that are now at an influential stage in their mental development. By subjecting them to these stereotypes based on what they wear, they may begin to think of and see themselves as society claims, rather than who they are or aspire to be. By conducting further research on stereotyping in fashion designs through their advertisements, the aim of this research is to understand the history and social ideas behind fashion. By thoroughly understanding the problem, a solution would be easier to reach. In order to gain further insight on the matter, two practitioners have been selected: Dr. Rebecca Arnold and Dr. Roman Meinhold.
Cape Town and Johannesburg ranked 27th and 37th respectively as global fashion capitals in 2014 (Fin24, 2014). This is proof of South Africa’s growing influence on the rest of the world. Our own fashion influence in our country is stronger than the European and American
To begin with, I shall look at what fashion is; it is a currently popular style or practice involving clothing, footwear or accessories. It mostly refers to the current trends in looks and dressing style of a person (Cumming 234). In most cases, fashion is confusedly related to costumes; when a person talks of fashion they are seen to mean fashion in terms of textile. Fashion is seen to originate from the Western world and it is copied by other places. In this paper, we shall look at how fashion affects lifestyles and the group of people who are affected most. The paper further investigates how media is used to transmit fashion from one region to the other. Although it has been seen to affect people’s lives many people have different perspectives on fashion and dressing.
Clothing is something that defines a person, and allows society to have an outlook on an individual’s lifestyle and beliefs. Unlike criticizing other material things like a car, a home or even something as simple as a television set, criticism of clothing is very personal. This suggests that there is a high correlation between clothing and personal identity and values. (Breward, pg.1) Clothing in a sense has the ability to communicate thought. However, similarly to art interpretations, this does not mean that any two people will perceive these visual aesthetics similarly.
To live in style with fashion is mostly preferred by college going youngsters who are the main follower of fashion. Fashion is related with all age of people either male or female in different manners. Mostly girls fashion is too much trendy and advance then any others. Fashion is not only limited to dressing style but it includes all other different aspects of life like the house they live in, what they eat, what kind of work they prefer to do for their time pass and many more. In our country, source of fashion is generally the glamorous and entertainment industry where every week a new style of dressing, makeup and hairstyle is introduced. Some of the people have registered their name for introducing the new trend of fashion in the glamorous world. These are Manish Malhotra, Ritu Kumar, Tarun Tahiliani, Ritu Beri, Sabhya Sachi and many
Fashion is a currently valued style of appearance and behavior. It is a way to shape one’s external custom. The history of fashion dates back to hundred years ago and it has seen a remarkable progress in the 21st century. Man has endeavored a lot to bring new changes according to style and elegance that suits his needs and desires. Apparently, our culture is inclined towards fashion and change in the former brings change in the latter.When we talk about Pakistan, from the independence day of August 14, 1947 up-to-date, it has been a society in transition and being dynamic in nature, it isconsequently ever-changing and its patterns are transforming from time to time.