Abstract

This study explores the relationship between the decisions we make surrounding fashion, our sense of 'self,' and our attempts at self-expression through fashion. This thesis is based on the premise that material items and first impressions or appearances are important in our culture. Referring to postmodern theories of identity and symbolic interactionist approaches to the self, I will argue that our sense of 'self' is continuously developed through social experiences, and that the decisions we make about fashion are shaped by this sense of 'self.' With fashion we choose to either express our sense of 'self,' and/or display a 'desired self.' This is done by working with cultural codes established in part by the mainstream fashion industry. Included in this relationship is a discussion of the dialectical process of choosing between distinction and conformity when dealing with pressures from the mainstream fashion industry. Participant observation and a series of interviews will both support and add to this theoretical argument, as well as outline the continuous shift between expressing our sense of 'self' and displaying our 'desired self.'