Clothing And Identity And Social Class - 1342 Words

Clothing is used to represent both identity and social class in very similar ways. Identity is one of the most compelling and contentious conceptions. Individuals declare who they are through what they wear. One’s appearance reveals their gender, race, ethnicity, social class, sexuality, age, and personal interests. Expressing yourself and who you are can be challenging to put into words, therefore it is a lot easier to show who you are through the way you dress. For centuries, clothing has been a principal for identifying oneself by occupation, regional identity, religion and social class (Arvanitidou, n.d.). Clothing allows one to transform their social body, however this can create separation or deviation from other social groups which then contributes to the creation of subgroups (Voss, 2008). Fashion and identity is often theorised in terms of sub groups, in which clothing and style are seen as markers of the boundaries of a group (Polhemus 1994, Evans 1997). There are ma ny ways in which people feel the need to express themselves through clothing such as: economic class, religious beliefs, social status and many more. The quote â€Å"Fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive visual statements about their identities† (Bennet, 2005). Subculture groups allow people that share the same interests such as music, style and similar likes and dislikes into specific groups that they will fit into. One of the most important andShow MoreRelatedMen’s Clothing, and How Men Used Their Fashion and Appearance to Construct Their Masculine Identity, as Well as Their Social Class2137 Words   |  9 Pagesjackets, trousers, cravats, ties, and hats that provided plenty of material for asserting or maintaining social status (Delpierre, 1990). This essay focuses on men’s clothing, and how men used their fashion and appearance to construct their masculine identity, as well as their social class. To begin with, it talks about the Sumptuary Laws applied to the Medieval Men Clothing, and how the bourgeois class emulates aristocratic elements later. Second, it compares the Macaroni image with the plainness of theRead MoreHow Does Fashion Shape Social Identities Essay1362 Words   |  6 PagesHow does fashion shape social id entities? In my essay I am going to investigate the meaning and the relationship between these two words: fashion and identity, particularly in relation to social status. Fashion and identity both represent a complex notion, especially when we talk about their association. Nowadays, if we pronounce the word ‘fashion’, which has become one of the most common words in our society, we immediately think of clothes; what people wear in the streets or what the majorityRead MoreSexual Politics Around Teddy Girl Identity1572 Words   |  7 Pagestransitional time, when popular culture was associated with the working class. This class related understanding of taste and propriety surrounding the Teds, almost caused Teddy Girls to be written out of history because attention focused on working class male aggression. Media representation classified teds as a male movement, which provided no female role models to perpetuate the trend. The Sexual politics around Teddy Girl identity relates to h ow popular culture can be used and created by women, butRead MoreGender Identity. Post War Recovery Moved Families From1451 Words   |  6 PagesGender Identity Post war recovery moved families from destroyed London to new builds in the surrounding counties. A display of female solidarity through shared identity could be seen as a way to reinforce a shrinking community, by dressing alike and sharing time together. In Wolff’s descriptions of both Flaneuse and Flaneur, the world beyond the home is considered to be a male space (1985). This is a middle class understanding of the social world, which restricts women to the home and actively ignoresRead MoreSocial Factors That Changed The World1366 Words   |  6 PagesClothing became less expensive in the 1960’s because of the Industrial Revolution, so more people are seen being involved in popular fashion trends and expressing themselves in ways they please because of the affordability. The sharply angled Vidal Sassoon hair style where women cut their hair shorter and styled it in an angular way. This decade also started the trend of people wanting to look skinnier. Designers pref erred models looked younger, thinner, and had longer legs. Social factors occurringRead MoreFashion And Fashion1557 Words   |  7 Pages For many years people have been putting some message in the type of clothing they wore, people started wanting to stand out from the big crowds and be different from other people, changing the way they use their clothes, giving a personal touch, trying to stand out from the common way that people were used to wear it. Fashion can be defined as a constantly changing trend, it is necessary to recognize that at the present moment fashion has a deeper influence on peoples life, is not only anymoreRead MoreCommunication through Fashion1777 Words   |  7 Pages1. Identity is peoples concepts of who they are, of what sort of people they are, and how they relate to others (Hogg and Abrams: 1988: 2) To gain knowledge of how we communicate to others through the way we dress, we have to first understand what identity is. Identity is what we choose to represent ourselves as, be that a gender identity, a sexual identity; it is completely up to the individual as a person to make that choice. Identity forms the basis of one’s pride and being accepted sociallyRead More Gender Identity and Social Structures Essay examples1293 Words   |  6 PagesGender Identity and Social Structures What is meant by identity? Firstly this essay is going to explore what is meant by identity. Identity is made up of individual characteristics by which a person is known. Internal factors such as physical appearance, personality, mental ability and sex would have an effect on a person’s identity. Then there are the external factors such as family, class, religion, culture, occupation and nationality which would influence one’s identity. Then, even beyondRead MoreHow Is Gender Identity Influenced by Social Structures? Essay1292 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is meant by identity? Firstly this essay is going to explore what is meant by identity. Identity is made up of individual characteristics by which a person is known. Internal factors such as physical appearance, personality, mental ability and sex would have an affect on a persons identity. Then there are the external factors such as family, class, religion, culture, occupation and nationality which would influence ones identity. Then, even beyond all these personal and social structures, societalRead MoreProject Runway Essay827 Words   |  4 Pagesabout to show off a new line of clothing from a designer that will become the newest trend in fashion. But what is fashion? Many people think about models, the runway, New York and expensive clothing when they hear the word fashion. But fashion is much more than that. Fashion is clothing that defines who a person is, their likes and dislikes, their personality and most importantly their culture. Clothing dates back to about 100,000-500,000 years ago. The first clothing was made out of animal hide and