Fashion is a term that we’re all familiar with. It is the style of dressing and behaving. Historically speaking, humans clothed themselves for the first time during the Neanderthal Period. To cover themselves, Mesopotamians started using wool. At the onset, bodily decoration was associated with rituals or signs of status. Gold and silver, too, were regarded as status symbols. Moving on from the historicity of it, one cannot deny the role of fashion as a sensory stimulant. Once perceived and interpreted based on the attention paid to it, memory opens its doors for the same. There, it could be retained as a creativity and/or communication marker. Be it the smell of leather, the sound of tassels, the touch of apparel, or the sight of accessories; it all connects with the onlooker’s senses. That’s what gives the individual elements of an outfit a language of their own.
Fashion is closely linked to self-esteem. It could positively or negatively impact one’s enhancement. When done right, it reinforces well-being. Aesthetics and attractiveness are two words that largely govern the fashion industry.
In the cultural context, fashion provides meaning to symbols of instant visual communication. The kimono from Japan, the lehenga from Southeast Asia, and the kaftan from Kashmir bring regional associations to the viewer’s mind. Our own schema, which is the structured framework or outline we form regarding ourselves, is just as culture-oriented. Presently, the notions of body image and beauty have caused a stir in popular media. Understanding it better requires getting to the root of it. A person’s perception of their own body and the responses to those perceptions constitute body image. It is shaped by factors like personal experiences, personality, socio-cultural forces, and cognitive and emotional components. The idea of self is the centrepiece of this. According to William James, the self is all that a person can call their own. Hence, it is more than the sum of clothes or possessions owned. It would also include work, reputation, relationships, and so much more.
In the modern day, the rise of influencers has also contributed to imitative behaviours. They can change perceptions because their fans and followers give them the power to do so. The same mustn’t get misused.
Persuasion works in more than one way. Its central sources could be the content consumed digitally, the emails or messages circulated. The peripheral sources could be celebrity or brand endorsements. The persuasion tactics employed by the advertiser manage to convince their target audience most of the time.
Social conformity is more than a means to ensure self-esteem. Current trends, amplified due to peer influence, lead to pressure. The close relationship between selfies, status updates, and the likes received is just as responsible for a lot of fashion choices. When actions are guided by the desire to become more likeable, it’s hard to figure out where we’re headed. It gets manifested through “opinion conformity,” when opinions differ but individuals conform to fit in, and through “selective self-presentation,” where the part of themselves that conforms is presented while the rest remains hidden from the public eye.
There exists a tendency to incorporate others’ imagined views of us into our self-image. The digital self is yet another constructed identity. Given that social media is largely image-based, it has an impact on mental wellbeing. The perceived reactions play a larger role than the actual reactions. How we want to present ourselves comes with the motive of making a mark, a statement, or an impression. This presentation could be in the form of authentic self, wherein comfortable clothing is prioritised to show realness; ideal self, where high-end clothing puts forward the ideal self, or tactical self, wherein garments are adorned with a certain motive, which could be, say, the uniform/dress code at work. Are there rewards or benefits to dressing a certain way? How frequently are clothing patterns eyed for symbolic meaning? Social desirability, conformity, and belief systems—what is it that dictates dressing styles? If we haven’t already asked these questions, perhaps it is time we start asking.
Fashion is a form of decision-making accompanied by other factors. Affordability is a prime concern here. The availability follows next. Purchasing online comes at a convenience, as faster delivery provides the much-needed instant gratification that drives people today. Body image perceptions never seem to leave buyers’ minds. The way one manages their lifestyle determines whether one invests the time to choose or refrain from giving too much thought. For some, it is all about presentability, while others consider sticking to the basics as their go-to option. Some may also view a few elements of their wardrobe as lucky for them and go ahead with those when situations call for it. Although a form of cognitive bias, they attribute an outcome to an outfit when those might be unrelated. The degree of self is next in line, where the individual’s self-esteem rests partly on appearance. Physical attractiveness is another example of cognitive bias, as it is used to predict intelligence and virtue.
A positive experience with products of a particular brand results in favouritism or loyalty towards the makers when consumers keep returning to them. This is what is called the Halo effect.
Looks lead us to another interesting discussion: is flawlessness necessarily equivalent to goodness, or vice versa? Do appearance-related imperfections confer on people, the title of badness? Perhaps the image of antagonists with a scar on their faces in cinematic or fictional works stems from the same thought pattern.
One’s clothing preferences may reflect their choices, their sense of self, the group to which they belong, and what one subscribes to. However, solely judging a book by the cover is an objectification of sorts, especially in cases like these. For the ones on the receiving end, it gets increasingly exhausting to shut out the noise. It would feel nice to keep the fashion police at bay, for a change.
