“Fashion is a key resource through which individuals in late modernity construct their identities and position themselves in relation to others”. Discuss this statement in relation to others.
“Fashion is a key resource through which individuals in late modernity construct their identities and position themselves in relation to others”. Discuss this statement in relation to others. 2000 words.
Fashion mainly refers to anything which is popular in a culture at any given time, it is inclusive of areas such as; style of dress, cuisine, literature, art, architecture, fashion trends and many other popular factors. Coco Chanel said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Fashion is readily accessible so it is easy for an individual to use it to express themself to others as it helps to show who they are and depict their personality in the terms of visual information. Andy Bennett (2005) confirms that, “fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive individual statements about their identities” (p.96). He also points out (p. 95) that “of the many commodities and leisure resources through which individuals in contemporary society construct and play out identities in their everyday lives fashion plays a central role”. It is particularly necessary for individuals to express their individuality and position themselves in relation to others in modern society because of the fast pace of life and anonomity of it, as theorist J Entwistle observes “fashion is particularly relevant in the context of ‘the modern city (where) we mingle with crowds of strangers”.(Bennett, p 96) Bennett argues that the relative anomonity of modern day life “calls for highly visual and relatively instantaneous means of asserting one’s identity”.(p.96) Fashion enables a person to do this and consequently can be an influential resource, so the statement that “fashion is a key resource through which individuals in late modernity construct their identities and position themselves in relation to others” seems to
Fashion mainly refers to anything which is popular in a culture at any given time, it is inclusive of areas such as; style of dress, cuisine, literature, art, architecture, fashion trends and many other popular factors. Coco Chanel said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Fashion is readily accessible so it is easy for an individual to use it to express themself to others as it helps to show who they are and depict their personality in the terms of visual information. Andy Bennett (2005) confirms that, “fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive individual statements about their identities” (p.96). He also points out (p. 95) that “of the many commodities and leisure resources through which individuals in contemporary society construct and play out identities in their everyday lives fashion plays a central role”. It is particularly necessary for individuals to express their individuality and position themselves in relation to others in modern society because of the fast pace of life and anonomity of it, as theorist J Entwistle observes “fashion is particularly relevant in the context of ‘the modern city (where) we mingle with crowds of strangers”.(Bennett, p 96) Bennett argues that the relative anomonity of modern day life “calls for highly visual and relatively instantaneous means of asserting one’s identity”.(p.96) Fashion enables a person to do this and consequently can be an influential resource, so the statement that “fashion is a key resource through which individuals in late modernity construct their identities and position themselves in relation to others” seems to
Bibliography: Church Gibson, Pamela. Analysing Fashion. From T Jackson.D Shaw (edition 2006) The Fashion Handbook, London Routledge ( pp20 -28) Featherstone, Mike,(ed 1990) Global Culture; Nationalism, Globalisation and Modernity. London; Sage. Giddens, Anthony Modernity and Self-identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age ( 11 July 1991 ),Polity Press ISBN-10: 0745609325 Negrin, L, (2008), Appearance and Identity; Fashioning the body in Postmodernty.Cowden; Palgarve Macmillan. PP33-52. Simmel, George. (1904/1957). “Fashion” American Journal of Sociology.