Style And Self-Identity: An Instrument That Builds Symbolic Capital

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

www.instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

A sense of personal identity is developed through the use of fashion. Whenever we dress-up and put things together, we build our personal style. Upon embarking on the path of defining one's personal identity through the use of clothing, it is worth noting that there is a contrast between your perceived fashion orientation and of how others perceive it. For example, a female from an entrepreneurial background may stay away from tailored and crisp clothing that resonates with "dressing for success". Instead, her personal taste in apparel are those that make use of jersey fabrication and has a loose silhouette for comfort. In the eyes of the anti-conformist she is practicing autonomy and a sense of rebellion against mainstream norms of what constitute as "success”. However, other people might perceive it as untidy and just plain sloppy. The way we dress does not always translate to how we want to be perceived by others, this is why fashion put together key looks or styles to reflect a clearer direction on how we want to be viewed.

Various styles have been identified to suit one's unique personality such as classic, edgy, feminine, boho, glam and indie to name a few. Classic styles are clothing that are crisp, chic and timeless which create a polished and sophisticated look. The silhouettes have clean cuts with structured details and usually make use of neutral color schemes. Basics with a twist and timeless pieces instead of the current trend are classic essentials. On the other hand, edgy styles are experimental and have a hint of a punk rockish attitude. You'll know it's edgy when studs, chains, zippers, dark hues match with unexpected color combinations, graphic tees, ripped details and DIYed clothing pieces. The feminine style is the opposite of edgy fashion with its sweet and fresh look and just the right amount of daintiness. Soft pastel colors are common for this style and so are ruffles and lace. Silhouettes are often flouncy and floral prints are simply a must have for the girly-girls. Boho or bohemian style is one that is colorful and a mix of all sorts of prints.

Boho styles reflect the down-to-earth and free spirited nature of individuals who categorize their style as such. Loose, flowy silhouettes matched with tribal or floral prints are the way to go. Environmentally conscious clothing is one unique value bohemians share. Colors that grabs their attention are warm, earthy tones. Glam or glamorous styles, on the other hand, are flirty and bold altogether. Glam fashion is not for the faint-hearted as pieces from this look are often attention grabbing with their bold and bright colors, big statement accessories, animal prints and whole lot of sparkles. Lastly, we have the indie style or also coined as the "hipster" look with their own unique spin on fashion perceived as quirky, fun, unexpected and effortlessly cool. Vintage and retro fashion are a big inspiration for this shabby chic style. Other essentials include offbeat details, costume jewelry and love for mixing high-end with low-end pieces.

Given the various styles, it is clear that fashion may associate the world of everyday wear to a nexus of beliefs, likes, place in society and social pressures to conform to a certain lifestyle mold. Georg Simmel who is a sociologist, philosopher, and critic mentioned: "The underlying motivation for fashion consciousness is a desire to sustain a sense of personal uniqueness in the relatively depersonalizing milieu of modern social life (Simmel [1904] [1971])". The irony is that consumers dive into the realm of fashion to fulfill their desire to be self-directed individuals, only to be categorized and dictated by the governing laws of fashion styles, trends, and must haves. Otherwise, fall prey to being outdated, unfashionable, "baduy", or passé. Clothing oneself now becomes a form of social means rather than being authentic. It may then be argued that a person's fashion identity is dependent on his/her social setting. Fashion is a powerful tool, capable of becoming a "singularly expedient social form" (Simmel [1986][1971]).

The idea of fashion is to use clothing as an instrument to become unique individuals while simultaneously finding a style that conforms with people you associate yourself with. Personal identity does not always project a person's value but is often negotiated in a dynamic field of social relations. This contrasting image of fashion, a tool for self-identity and conformity, reinforce fashion consumer's desires to be "unique" and more importantly, to stand-out and not become one of the masses. This is very telling of how fashion consumers' self-worth and sense of "symbolic capital" (Bourdieu 1984; Featherstone 1991) go hand-in-hand with their desires  to stand-out by dressing unlike others, "others" pertaining to the masses. The idea of not standing out through the use of clothing invokes disliked associations such as not being in control of one's destiny, leaving no mark on society, and finally becoming a follower rather than a leader. Whereas being fashionable expresses concepts such as climbing the socioeconomic ladder and attaining power, prestige, and wealth.

Clothing styles are viewed as a strategic tool for social competition. To stay ahead in the realm of fashion is to symbolically gain an advantage in the more significant contest for career opportunities. The importance of fashion is that it has the capacity to render clothing as a potent symbol for individuation and a vehicle to perpetual identity transformation. The perceived  uniqueness and transformative power of clothing ultimately exist because of a belief that others will notice and care about one's appearance and that one's fashion choice has an influence on others behavior. Perhaps individuals who are dressed well are treated better and have a higher competitive advantage, but then again, this is contingent upon the assumption that people around us are concerned about fashion and its' discourses. 

Source: Journal of Consumer Research: Consumers' Interpretive Uses of Fashion Discourses, Vol. 24, No. 1 (June 1997), pp. 21-23

Under Her Belt: Relationship Bliss And Sartorial Compromise

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

www.instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

Fashion in a relationship does not have to be a difficult undertaking. It should be something fun that couples get to enjoy. Sulking into so-called  feminine activities such as dressing up, shopping, looking sexy and undressing can all be part of the joys of being in a relationship. According to Carol Bruess who has a Ph.D. in Interpersonal Communication, and the co-author of "What Happy Couples Do", a man who is secure enough to get girlie with his woman shows that he is willing to make small sacrifices to make her happy since that is a priority. This means spending time with her like shopping without sending any signal of a morose expression and pouting the entire time.

Fashion is capable of igniting attraction. Many scientific studies have been done in order to identify what physical attributes make men feel attracted towards women such as dressing in the color red or just simply slipping into some matching lingerie in silky, delicate lace. Most men are unaware of the role of silhouette and color in their attraction towards the opposite sex, and women are smart - and we know how to use it for whatever holds our fancy. The question is, when it comes to relationships, is fashion even a big deal? For some women, it probably is a big deal especially if she is into fashion. Fashion is not something you leave behind once your 8-hour shift ends or you get to compartmentalize in your life. It is a lifestyle and is, therefore, part of your everyday life. A lady would really appreciate it if her man steps up his game in the fashion department.

There are absurd reasons why women would like their man to dress up at times, it's no rocket science really. One reason is that it is a form of effort and dressing up for each other can be a great way to keep things steamy. It's really the smallest things that matter in a relationship and besides, there is something about men who have a succinct style that makes them look so dignified and sexy. Another trifling reason is that women like to parade their man when they put on a nice attire. It makes a woman think how good they look together and how Facebook worthy he looks (this is for real). Women think about these trivial things in the hopes of impressing people from their social circle. Regardless of all the silliness, the point is, if a man expects his woman to maintain herself, then it is only fair for him to not let go of himself as well.

Over time, as the relationship grows stronger and you feel more confident in your love affair, there will be a tendency for a lady to sartorially sculpt her man. The easiest way to turn him into a man of style is by buying him clothes for his birthday, Valentine's day, Christmas and any other holiday you could think off - he would probably not even notice the motives behind those sartorial gifts since the exchange is done during gift giving seasons. In no time, you will see your mate taking up the clothing style you believe is fitting for him. Although there will be instances where your man will hold onto his conservative values no matter how hard you insist. For instance, two of the latest trends in men's wear (note that men's fashion develops at a snail’s pace) includes the deep V-neck that reveals their chiseled, patchy chest hair, as well as the European mankini which is a one-piece sling swimwear or also called a "suspender thong" or "sling shot bikini". However, some men simply resist joining the bandwagon. And that is fine, in a loving relationship, compromise has to be done.

That's exactly what relationship comes down to, meeting in the middle even when the discourse is about fashion and taste. There is this Latin maxim that pertains to the differences in preferences. It is "de gustibus non est disputandum" which translates to "in matters of taste, there can be no disputes". It basically means that things such as taste are not a matter of argument because each person has their own preference. It implies that each individual's inclination for, let's say, clothing are merely subjective opinions and therefore cannot be judged as right or wrong. Consider yourself lucky if you happened to snag a partner who is exactly like you, unless that's the case then perhaps it is best to ease your partner to trying new things in fashion especially if they have an actual stance on what they like to wear.

Clothing matters in a relationship can be tricky at times. Some women like wearing trendy pieces that have a salient image of being sexy. Even though a female intends to wear a certain dress to look enticing just for him, he might not want you to look so darn good for others. Men are envious creatures so they may have a tendency to be jealous and may allude that they wouldn't want people staring towards a particular body part that is being displayed, which most of the time pertains to the breast, buttocks or legs. It can be exasperating at times because regardless of whether a lady is in a relationship or not, she should dress however she fancies. It may be a form of body shaming a woman when her partner dictates what she can and cannot wear simply because of a premise that someone else will stare. But how is it different when a woman asks her man to change his fashion style? Us women are also guilty of body shaming our partner when we insist they dress a certain way or hide pieces of clothing that we despise. At the end of the day, what's important is respecting your partner's individuality as well as making an effort to make them happy - it's called sartorial compromise. As the saying goes, it's always better to bend a little than to break a loving relationship.

A Shrewd Fashion Tactician: The Long-Term Ball Game For A Fashion Designer

Quick & Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto 
http://instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

As the saying goes, talent knows no boundaries. The fashion industry's main asset is creativity, therefore having a designer with an innate appreciation of artistic oeuvres is crucial. However, fashion is not an art but rather "creation applied to garments and accessories which must be sold successfully" as elucidated by J. Andrews (2004). In short, fashion is the commerce in creativity. To stay on top, it's not enough to just have a talented designer. An inspired management is necessary as well because while the creative process is disorganized, the production aspect must be rational. 

Just like a super model or a pop star, a fashion designer needs a good manager. The reality of the industry is that a designer alone won't be able to cope with all the pressures that come with the business of fashion. Based on countless fashion studies, there was hardly any example of a success story that is not based on a foundation of two individuals - one with a creative or design background and the other who has experience with business or management. The challenge is sustaining the relationship along the journey. 

Many individuals who pursue their artistic ambitions leave college with a dream of establishing their own label. So to work for an existing brand is a detour towards that dream. On the other hand, not working for a famous fashion brand might consign a designer to poverty and irrelevance. One solution to this type of dilemma is for a designer to be allowed to have their own label while still working for an established brand. For this type of set-up to work a designer must respect the brand's signature aesthetic and in turn, the brand must repose faith in the designer's interpretation of its DNA. If a designer rejuvenates a brand, s/he now becomes a figurehead, and if a brand wishes to secure the collaboration then this new designer must be granted a share of a company's profit. In other words, a designer's loyalty has to be bought by the brand. 

Reaching the top mount entails more than just having a talented designer and manager brimming with ideas. Control of the brand is always essential. This means selling products mostly through directly owned stores and limiting licensing of a brand name to others. Adding to the repertoire of the brand is necessary, ensure that your eggs are not all in one basket - mixing hard goods such as watches and jewelry with soft goods which include clothing, scarves, perfumes and such. This is guarantee that whatever vicissitudes may afflict the world of luxury, some parts of the empire are bound to be making money. 

Brand integrity is the indefinable aura that convinces an individual to pay a large sum for an item that can be purchased elsewhere for a lower price. This is another crucial aspect to consider in the luxury-goods market. Brand dilution, on the other hand, is the opposite of brand integrity - it is the negative side effect of popularity. If majority of the masses can afford a particular good, then it is no longer exclusive and is therefore no longer worth its lofty price tag. Luxury must avoid becoming too common for many high-fashion customers. 

A fashion house must also control its own distribution, meaning having its own exclusive store and limiting licensing. The rationale behind this is simple. "Instead of selling at wholesale prices to a department store, the fashion house can use its directly owned shop to sell at a retail price" as mentioned by Andrews (2004). It controls the markup or discount it gives. While also promoting the brand image through a chic and exclusive shopping experience, creating a personal and warm ambiance at exalted locations. This builds a concomitant experience that allows a brand to get to know it's customers better. The downside of this is the burden of fixed costs such as rent and employees. Having a footfall is a way to constantly make a profit. These are affordable and small fast moving items that easily lure customers to buy. This is the reason why department stores often place cosmetics, perfumes, and watches at the center opening of the ground floor. 

Licensing occurs when designers grant someone else the right to produce and sell products under their name and in return receive an up-front fee followed by a royalty of 3-8 percent of gross sales. This guarantees profit, however, the brand image may suffer when licensing goes awry.  The licensee bears the risk while the designer reaps a reward. The problem here is the long term effect on the designer’s name. If a licensee lowers its quality and often sells at a discount at the wrong place, then the brand integrity suffers. Nonetheless, licensing has its uses. Being a designer does not always entail that you know how to make shoes or perfumes, so why not hire your name to someone who does. 

As a takeaway, always keep in mind who you are designing for. There is no reason in creating clothing that is not practical with the exemption of runway pieces (these are made for the sake of the show, read more on Couture Trade: The Universal Benchmark Of Fashion). Be sure to be consistent with the brand image (the thread that links everything together) as you create diverse collections, even when diversifying from high end into more affordable diffusion ranges. Most of all, keep control of your brand. Licensing and franchising can help a business develop, however, keep in mind that no one will look after your name as much as you do. A vertically integrated supply chain where every aspect of the design, from manufacturing to distribution and retail is controlled, is ultimately the correct strategy for long-term brand prosperity. But first, you must establish the brand. 

Source: Extracted from J. Andrews (2004), "Rags and Riches: A Survey of Fashion," in The Economist (March 6): 6-8. The Economist Newspaper Ltd., London (March 6, 2004).

Youth and Sex: Tapping A Generation Of Decadence

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

www.instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

Moving away from a niche market to a much bigger customer base that may not know a thing or two on how garments are manufactured. The youth is an important target market for a fashion brand's longevity. The reality of tapping a niche is that a company will never be able to sell as many garments as they want by targeting only that particular segment of society. If a brand wants to sell more it has to dive into a generation and thus, youth and sex.

For a brand to survive the saturated marketplace of fashion goods and services, it must be able to grow with its existing customer base while simultaneously attracting a younger audience that will embrace the brand over time. Even though the youth may lack the financial means to purchase a company's product, they will eventually grow. And it is best for them to grow with an aspiration of eventually buying into a brand - building brand affinity.

One of the fastest ways to attract the youth generation is by marketing products that have insinuations towards theme of sex. Sex is an essential human function not only for procreation but it also infiltrates so many parts of our lives. One reason why any allusion to sex in public places becomes so sensational is because the act largely happens behind closed doors. The millennial generation is an image soaked in youth and sex, one that projects an air of almost reckless decadence. Sexy advertisement gets a lot of attention and young people simply like sexy clothing. It may be argued that some ads intended for the youth border the line of soft pornography, but it can be more than just titillation.

In recent times, fashion has pushed the boundaries of taste and evolved to becoming more tolerant with the concept of sex as a marketing tool. Perhaps what we see in ads isn’t merely the imagery of sex, but actually a form of honesty - and young people like honesty. Perhaps it depicts the truth of how humans have a natural desire to be attractive either for the purpose of finding a mate or negating one's insecurities.

 More so, even if an individual already has a mate it does not mean that the inclination to be desired by others disappears. The bottom line is that we all have a desire to appear appealing to others and a large part of this comes from how we visually present ourselves. Therefore, this desire to appear attractive comes with the notion of wanting to portray ourselves as sexual beings – and this is where the fashion industry enters the picture and of why sex sells. Read more about Clothing Drive: Fashion Fueled by Desire.

Sex is used as a valuable selling tool and a lot of people buy into it, especially the younger generation. However, sensationalism in clothing ads may boost engagement and brand profile but it does not always translate into sales. Quality garments accompanied by good branding is still the most important tactic for sales. Apparels with such features sell themselves without using sex. Moreover, in the realm of fashion, amazing high quality and designed products, coupled with sex, sells exceptionally. But note that there is a fine line between sexy and crude. For sex to sell it must be used in a way where it is perceived as alluring, elegant and eloquent. Nothing sordid or alluding to anything perverse.

The reality of the market place is that when a fashion brand produces a sexy campaign, it gets a lot of coverage, captures the public imagination and results throngs of shoppers purchasing the latest product. The honest truth is that people buy into sex. However, as we push the boundaries of sex more towards the lime light, it will eventually lose its novelty. And with this, the fashion business will move in towards the opposite direction. Read more about Changing Fashion: Building an Erotic Capital.

Source: From R. Walker (2008), Buying In (New York: Random House), 217-26. 

Fashion Autonomy: The Role Of Economy, Politics And Religion

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

www.instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

Fashion is perceived as frivolous and superficial compared to other forms of self-expression such as painting, dancing or music. The discourse of fashion is often confined to consumerism and fashion magazines, which it can be at times, but it can also be a lot more essence.

Fashion fosters independence and is an extension of one's self as it can be a visual manifestation of where an individual stands, colored by their history, emotions, politics and culture. The definition of freedom varies around the world due to religious beliefs, economic and political background as well as cultural nuances.

For instance, when we speak of women's appearances, Western fashion highly differs from that in the Middle East. The West has a tendency to be revealing to gain admiration from others whereas in the Middle East, admiration of appearance is done in the privacy of one's home and is often for the eyes of a spouse only. It is not for everyone to admire unlike in the West.

The concept of fashion in Western countries is based on freedom, particularly the freedom to express one's self. It tends to have more clothing varieties and options as there is more focus on the idea of individuality. Unlike in other cultures, where deviation from the norm of attire may be punishable by physical harm. In these cases, fashion choice is a form of protection rather than self-expression. 

It should be no surprise then that individuals express themselves more diversely in terms of fashion in the West as compared to countries where freedom of expression is limited and the emphasis on individuality is not encourage.

Economic prosperity and religion also play a big factor in the development of fashion autonomy. For example, in the Middle East, some individuals can be fashionable in the privacy of their homes despite their rather oppressive religious government.

Fashion typically requires moderate wealth to be able to consume such luxury and since oppressive regimes seldom lead to economic prosperity, it may appear that only democratic societies know how to appreciate and make use of fashion to its full extent. 

Fashion Epitome: A Westernized Paradigm

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

www.instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

Fashion is defined as the prevailing style of dress. The Middle English term ‘fashion’ comes from the Old French term facon (in the sense ‘make, shape, appearance,’ also ‘a particular make or style’): from its Latin origin facere (‘do, make’) or factio.

It started when our primitive ancestors started wearing clothes which were typically made from plants, animal skin and bones. The bones were used as needles to sew fibers or hides together. However, given their primitive use of clothing, this style was a far cry from how fashion has come to be defined today. Hence this paradigm can be argued to not have been one where fashion existed.

That is if viewed from how fashion was defined during the renaissance period in Europe. During this period the term fashion became a widely used word, depicting the idea of clothing as a form of fashion. High fashion began to take off when royalties begun setting trends within their kingdom to establish social class to showcase their individuality. Cities such as Paris became the fashion hub of Westerners. During these times new ideas about fashion designs and methods of tailoring were spreading.

Under this definition, the appraisal of fashion and appearance was hierarchical with the tailored and sewn style of clothing from the West at its pinnacle. While on the other hand, the dress of primitive or indigenous people, those that are hand-loomed clothe draped on the body, or garments made from unprocessed fibers and grasses, was considered less valued as it did not fit this definition of fashion.

However, today’s marketing strategies have changed the concept of indigenous fashion. Indigenous fashion products such as woven textiles, Aztec prints, organic dyeing methods, and precious jewelry, are now considered as high-value products as a result of the Sustainable Fashion and Textile movements.

We can derive that the definition of fashion (tailored and sewn) encompasses only the Western, capitalist and socially mobile. This may mean that traditional and non-capitalist societies that still exist today (those that do not meet the definition standards, and therefore do not fit the word fashion) do not take part in its realm. But this does not mean they do not have fashion - in a sense of having a predominant style - within their community. A more appropriate term to use for this case would be ‘clothing’ rather than ‘fashion’. Clothing is a general term that includes fashion in its paradigm and it is not limited to the Westernized idea of a predominant style. Read more about Clothing at Misguided Fashion: The Misconception In Clothing

Source: The Fashion Reader by Linda Welters and Abby Lillethun (eds) (Berg, 2007)

Clothing Hedonism: Glamourizing Fashion In Conventional Discourses

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

www.instagram.com/MaryAnnClothing

The ideology of consumption immersed from the perception of one’s self. Fashion goods and services has the capacity to alter one’s current lifestyle and physical appearance. When we casually talk about fashion, it reflects our personal goals, life history and specific interests. Others however, may argue that fashion fosters depthless and materialistic outlooks. 

When speaking of fashion, there are generally two perspectives. You can either glamourize it, or trivialize it.

Glamourizing fashion takes one to a type of realm wherein goods and services project our dreams and fantasies about living the ‘good life’ – an idealized consumer dream world (Thompson and Haytko, 1997).

This take on fashion has given rise to the world of haute couture (or high fashion), runways, magazine spreads and billboards. Cambell (1987) coined the term “imaginative hedonism” to encompass this phenomena. Glamourizing is a level of fashion consciousness wherein pleasure and satisfaction arise from attaining clothing and being able to take part in the world of fashion.

The other take on fashion is by trivializing the discourse. A salient view of fashion becomes a practical nature of everyday life with clothing. Fashion is viewed for its seriousness of purpose – to be worn for daily endeavor.

This take has produced a business approach towards fashion by producing Ready-to-Wear and Basic-Everyday-Wear clothing. It removes the superficialities associated with appearance and focuses on the practical purpose of wearing clothing such as modesty, protection, presentation, tradition and expression.

Hence, these two countervailing interpretations of fashion give us a better understanding when discussing fashion in a conventional manner. It also shows the type of influence fashion marketing has on its target market. In all these cases, fashion discourses can become a proactive means to discuss clothing and trends, with an underlying reflection of one’s ambitions, interests and background.