Fashion and Identity: how much can fashion talk?

Fashion has always been seen as a means of self-expression, of course, not really always, given the fact that clothing has first appeared for its functional purposes. Some of the functional purposes are still kept in nowadays fashion: clothes can keep us warm, protect our skin, or help us scuba dive. So what’s the difference between just clothes and fashion? Well, fashion includes clothes, creativity, innovation, and personality. So how much can fashion talk about who we are? Pretty much, especially when we’re talking about first impressions. Here’s how fashion talks:

(Figure 1: Social Class wearing formal clothing at party. Retrieved from https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/fashion-history-eras/social-class-clothing)

Fashion talks about social status

Since medieval times clothes and fashion were a symbol of social status. More specifically, if you can very often guess someone’s social status if you take a close look at his or her clothes or accessories. When people discovered that fashion indeed can give the impression that you belong to a certain social class, they started getting creative to make more people have access to premium clothes, or at least clothes that look like premium quality. The “fake” items, the affordable elegant clothes, like Zara, have all satisfied a need: the need to feel like you belong, the need to look rich, and the need to feel good about yourself.

Fashion talks about passions

How we dress can say a lot about what we like to do, what passions do we have, and what is of interest to us. That is why for many professions we imagine a certain uniform or style. When you think about ballerinas, tennis players, or lawyers, you automatically imagine people with a certain style. Fashion can really help us express an identity, express who we are, and more important than that, express how we feel. Textures, colours, and clothes designs can be used to express sadness, joy, creativity, or classiness.

(Figure 2: Celebs on vogue covers. Retrieved from https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/empowering-teens/celebrities-influence/)

Celeb’s fashion

The way celebrities dress, act, or look has always been imitated by people. Why? Some say from the desire to reach a social status, from the desire to look as good as celebrities do, while others say it’s just a primal behaviour, to keep an eye on the dominant ones (Pappas, 2012). In reality, celeb’s fashion serves on the bright side to help us be bolder, take chances into expressing our personality with courage, just like celebs do. Awards seasons, street style or fashion weeks can serve as great inspiration.

(Figure 3. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/HappyFashion82/photos/a.166256350726615/166256560726594/)

Why do we put so much emphasis on the way we dress? Because fashion can really be a way to show ourselves, and if we do it right can really boost our self-esteem. How? Remember the amazing feeling when you are dressed in clothes that look good on you and that feel comfortable? That is how clothes interfere with your appearance and your feelings.

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Reference:

Pappas, S. (2012, February 24). Oscar Psychology: Why Celebrities Fascinate Us. Retrieved from livescience.com: https://www.livescience.com/18649-oscar-psychology-celebrity-worship.html