Sociology of Fashion
•Download as PPT, PDF•
2 likes•3,913 views
Sociology of Fashion; Meaning of Fashion; Characteristics of Fashion; Fashion in Modern Society; Social Role of Fashion.
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
More from Curtin University, Perth, Australia
More from Curtin University, Perth, Australia (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Sociology of Fashion
- 1. CHITTAGONG BGMEA INSTITUTE OF FASHIONCHITTAGONG BGMEA INSTITUTE OF FASHION AND TECHNOLOGY (CBIFT)AND TECHNOLOGY (CBIFT) FDT - 312FDT - 312 SOCIOLOGY OF FASHIONSOCIOLOGY OF FASHION Marks: 100 Credits: 2Marks: 100 Credits: 2 Fashion Your Identity,Fashion Your Identity, Empower Your Life…Empower Your Life… Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; smskabir218@gmail.comsmskabir218@gmail.com 1
- 2. II NN TT RR OO DD UU CC TT OO RR YY Sociology of FashionSociology of Fashion Meaning of FashionMeaning of Fashion Characteristics ofCharacteristics of FashionFashion Fashion in ModernFashion in Modern SocietySociety Social Role ofSocial Role of Fashion.Fashion. Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Unit-1Unit-1 2
- 3. Sociology of FashionSociology of Fashion Fashion is both an idea and an ideal.Fashion is both an idea and an ideal. Social systemic production, consumption andSocial systemic production, consumption and institutionalization of novelty, and culturalinstitutionalization of novelty, and cultural phenomenon that integrates culture, individual andphenomenon that integrates culture, individual and economy.economy. It finds expression materially and visually in formsIt finds expression materially and visually in forms coded by color, shape, texture and branding, andcoded by color, shape, texture and branding, and must be produced and circulated within culturalmust be produced and circulated within cultural fields integrating local and global systems.fields integrating local and global systems. It is fundamental to aesthetic forms in fields suchIt is fundamental to aesthetic forms in fields such as dress and clothing, philosophy and religion,as dress and clothing, philosophy and religion, music, habits and customs, through whichmusic, habits and customs, through which individuals attach to, or demonstrate theirindividuals attach to, or demonstrate their difference from, various communities.difference from, various communities. Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; 3
- 4. Fashion is responsible forFashion is responsible for locating individuals withinlocating individuals within various social strata andvarious social strata and communities.communities. Fashion objects allow usFashion objects allow us direct contact with thedirect contact with the politics and economics ofpolitics and economics of global economic systems.global economic systems. Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Sociology of FashionSociology of Fashion 4
- 5. SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018 Sociology of FashionSociology of Fashion 5
- 6. Meaning of FashionMeaning of Fashion Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Fashion is an important means of socialFashion is an important means of social control.control. It determines our speech, opinion, belief,It determines our speech, opinion, belief, recreation, dress, music, art and literature.recreation, dress, music, art and literature. Fashion as the imitation of contemporaries.Fashion as the imitation of contemporaries. It is a compromise between desire forIt is a compromise between desire for novelty and desire for conformity.novelty and desire for conformity. Wearing a silk sari, painting to decorateWearing a silk sari, painting to decorate house, styled hair are all examples ofhouse, styled hair are all examples of fashion.fashion. 6
- 7. Fashion is related to two words –Fashion is related to two words – Convention – prescribes social relations inConvention – prescribes social relations in given situations must follow. These formsgiven situations must follow. These forms are merely social agreement.are merely social agreement. Etiquette prescribes the detailedEtiquette prescribes the detailed formalities to be observed on ceremoniousformalities to be observed on ceremonious occasions. It is a code with respect tooccasions. It is a code with respect to manners. Thus greeting and wishing wellmanners. Thus greeting and wishing well are modes of etiquette.are modes of etiquette. Fashion is not something which societyFashion is not something which society just tolerates but it is something thatjust tolerates but it is something that society accepts.society accepts. Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Meaning of FashionMeaning of Fashion 7
- 8. Characteristics of FashionCharacteristics of Fashion Fashion is a group choice.Fashion is a group choice. Fashion is changeable.Fashion is changeable. Element of utility may or may notElement of utility may or may not present in fashion.present in fashion. Fashion is all-pervading - ItFashion is all-pervading - It embraces a large part of humanembraces a large part of human life. They can be seen in numerouslife. They can be seen in numerous fields from speech to dress.fields from speech to dress. SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018 8
- 9. SimplicitySimplicity PatriotismPatriotism IntegrityIntegrity Luxuries.Luxuries. Fashion in Modern SocietyFashion in Modern Society Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; 9
- 10. Demand for noveltyDemand for novelty Demand for conformityDemand for conformity Fashion facilitates social changeFashion facilitates social change Film star or a leader sets inFilm star or a leader sets in motion a new style in dress ormotion a new style in dress or recreation which is later pickedrecreation which is later picked up by other people.up by other people. Social Role of FashionSocial Role of Fashion SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018 10
- 11. ?QuestionsQuestions ?AnswersAnswers Wednesday, January 31, 2018Wednesday, January 31, 2018SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd;SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; 11
- 12. Wednesday, January 31, 2018 SMS Kabir, smskabir@psy.jnu.ac.bd; smskabir218@gmail.com 12
Editor's Notes
- CHITTAGONG BGMEA INSTITUTE OF FASHION AND TECHNOLOGY (CBIFT) Course Outline Marks: 100 Credits: 2 Course Title: Sociology of Fashion; Course Code: FDT 312 Course Teacher: Syed Muhammad Sajjad Kabir (SK) Contact Address: smskabirpsy@cu.ac.bd, Cell Phone: 01761491036 or 01720534744 Consulting Hours: After class if required
- Introduction: 1.1 Sociology of Fashion 1.2 Meaning of Fashion 1.3 Characteristics of Fashion 1.4 Fashion in Modern Society 1.5 Social Role of Fashion.
- 1.1 Sociology of Fashion Fashion that can be defined initially as the social systemic production, consumption and institutionalization of novelty is a cultural phenomenon that integrates culture, the individual and the economy. Fashion is both an idea and an ideal. Yet it finds expression materially and visually in forms coded by color, shape, texture and branding, and must be produced and circulated within cultural fields integrating local and global systems. Fashion is not just a social process pertaining to clothing and address. It is more of an expressive sensibility favoring novelty and individuality, which energizes facets of both economic production and personal consumption. There are a number of important reasons why any analysis of contemporary culture must come to grips with the logic of fashion and its centrality to our everyday experiences. In general, fashion is fundamental to culture because it offers aesthetic forms in fields such as dress and clothing, philosophy and religion, music, habits and customs, through which individuals attach to, or demonstrate their difference from, various communities.
- As a cultural process, fashion is responsible for locating individuals within a constantly changing forest of objects, people, events, styles and practices to which they relate, about which they form opinions and which symbolically help to locate them within various social strata and communities. In this way, being 'in fashion', indifferent to it or actively claiming to reject fashion becomes an important technique for individuals to establish their social difference and individuality. Fashion is elemental to our economies because it plays a significant part in energizing innovations, mobilizing design and aesthetic industries, and providing an ongoing impetus for creative economic production. Fashion objects allow us direct contact with the politics and economics of global economic systems, and provide a potential material site for people to consider questions of excess consumption, labor exploitation, the form of beauty or good more broadly, and potentially oppressive or alienating representations of embodiment and identity.
- Entwistle (2000) defines fashion generally as a system of dress found in modernity a social system for encoding the presentation of bodies. From her perspective, fashion is a form of dress that essentially concerns the body how it is presented and dressed, how it performs, and what messages it contains and represents. Diana Crane's (2000) study principally locates fashion within the domain of clothing, which she highlights as providing rich insights into both norms of appropriateness and convention, and their possible breach through the abundant variety of clothing alternatives that are on offer.
- Fashion is an important means of social control. It determines our speech, opinion, belief, recreation, dress, music, art and literature. Herbert Spencer regarded fashion as a leveler of custom. Gabriel Trade defined fashion as the imitation of contemporaries. Maclver has well described fashion as the socially approved sequence of variation on a customary theme. According to Lundberg Fashions are folkways that survive for only a short time. Ross writes fashion is a series of recurring changes in the choices of a group of people which though they may be accompanied by utility are not determined by it. Kimball Young defines fashion as the current or prevailing usage mode, manner or characteristic of expression, presentation or conception of those particular traits which custom itself allows changing. Fashion implies certain habits upon which fashionable changes flourish. It is a compromise between desire for novelty and desire for conformity. It is a transitory accepted change on a permanent line of behavior. Thus wearing a silk sari, painting to decorate house, styled hair are all examples of fashion.
- To make the meaning of fashion more clear we may look to the meaning of two other words etiquette and convention. Convention prescribes those forms which social relations in given situations must follow. These forms are merely social agreement. They are socially agreed upon procedures. They make social relationships go smoothly and automatically with a minimum of confusion and friction. Etiquette prescribes the detailed formalities to be observed on ceremonious occasions. It is a code with respect to manners. Thus greeting and wishing well are modes of etiquette. Fashion is not something which society just tolerates but it is something that society accepts. It has an element of social sanction behind it.
- Characteristics of Fashion Fashion is a group choice - Fashion is not an individual choice but is a group choice. So long as a particular choice remains confined to an individual it may better be called style and not fashion. The style becomes a fashion when adopted by a number of people. Fashion is changeable - The important characteristic of fashion is its changing nature. If it survives long it ceases to be a fashion and may become a folkway or mores. The element of utility may or may not present in fashion. A fashion may be adopted for some utilitarian purpose but it is not essential that every fashion should not carry some utility nor can it be said that all fashions are useless. Fashion is all-pervading - Fashion embraces a large part of human life. They can be seen in numerous fields from speech to dress. Uniformity due to rapid means of transport fashions spread from one corner to the other corner of the world. Sometimes fashion changes so quickly that it becomes difficult to be in step with the changing fashion.
- Fashion in Modern Society Fashion is more prevalent in modern society than in primitive tribes or peasant communities. The modern society is an open society where class distinctions are not as rigid as in primitive society. Its urban and mobile class structure enables people to cultivate individual taste and adopt new course. The modern society is more tolerant of differences and therefore places few shackles on the cycle of fashion. Our standards of judgment have also changed. Today the individual is rated more by observable externalities than by his ancestry, his character or his genuine accomplishments. The clothes a man wears, the language he speaks, the manners he shows have more weight in ascribing a status than his simplicity, patriotism and integrity. If he can keep himself up to date in the matters of his dress, speech and manners, he will assure himself a high social esteem. Not only the mobile and urban character of modern society but its affluence also speaks for greater prevalence of fashion in it. Men today are richer than their ancestors and have more leisure. They have the necessary means and time to play with luxuries and to think of fashion. Consequently the higher the standard of living the more material there is for fashion to operate upon.
- Social Role of Fashion What is the importance of fashion for social life and what role does it play in society? The question is important as we find people often victims of fashion. Fashion promises no utility; it makes no appeal to reason and being a fugitive and transitory deviation has little effect on the major trends of social change yet it has a strong hold over the people. Fashion satisfies two strong demands of social man- the demand for novelty and the demand for conformity. It turns the desire for novelty into social practice and makes novelty the right and proper thing for the group. It is human nature to aspire for distinction. Man does not love by security alone. He yearns for something new for variety and novelty. Fashion satisfies this desire and also succeeds in accommodating this desire to the rule of conformity. Thus fashion satisfies some important desires of man whose satisfaction is necessary for his living in society. Fashion facilitates social change by providing a transitional stage from one custom to another. It tends to modify the rigidity of custom and the belief in its importance. It prepares the mind for a change so that people may not feel a jerk on changing to customs. Maclver writes, “Fashion plays at the surface where resistance is least responding to the social whim of the moment, discovers on this level a compensation for the restraints of custom and habit and routine of life. Through its passing conformities it helps to bridge the greater transitions of the process of social change. Fashion radiates generally from the higher class people the so called prestige owning people. Some film star or a leader sets in motion a new style in dress or recreation which is later picked up by other people. This enhances the prestige of the upper classes and those imitating them. Though fashion plays a role in the dynamic interplay of class relations though it satisfies simultaneously the contrary desires for novelty and for conformity, though it introduces a common pattern into the area of indifference and has a special significance in the extensive range of a diversified democratic civilization, yet it is always an item in the cost of living. Some fashions such as polo playing or frequenting night clubs or visiting resorts are limited to those who can afford their expenses. People sometimes engage in expenditure unwarranted by their means. When its control passes beyond the superficialities of life it usurps the place of morals and offers a poor substitute for the more established conventions.