The Role of Fashion in the construction of identity
In increasingly liberalized societies, the individual is becoming more and more central to our view of the world. The construct of normality in the sense of conformity is becoming progressively blurred. Diversity has replaced the uniformity of the last few centuries. Everybody wants to be someone special. Everybody can be someone special.
Yet it seems that everybody wears the same.
How is it individual to get the same pair of Ugg Boots, Sambas or the Dress you “ran” to Zara for, after your favorite Influencer showed it in their story?
Still, we feel like we have this unique fashion sense. Why don’t we use these new possibilities and start seeing fashion as the art form it is. Like all other forms of art, Fashion communicates something. It has the ability to tell stories about our feelings, desires, and beliefs. That’s why you should start seeing fashion as such. Sure, following trends is a vital part of fashion. It is the expression of a cultural momentum and there is nothing wrong with participating. You communicate a cultural belonging. Clothing is inevitable about status, social roles and the expression of interests. Trendy brands and items never fail to deliver.
But what´s missing is the sense of personality. By wearing a certain garment or accessory, we can portray who we want to be and what we want to say. It can tell a story about the wearer’s identity, the wearer’s emotions and the world in which they live. When you wear what you love and dress to express yourself, you feel better about the person in these shoes, the jacket or behind the sunglasses. It can impact happiness and confidence and therefore the way you act as an individual.
Sure,
fashion may be about being dressed well but it is also about having fun and being unique. Sticking to conformity might make you look sharp, but it misses the point of fashion that inevitably is a form of self-expression.
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