Cultural Studies in Fashion
Introduction
In the fashion industry, celebrities make a lot of money through endorsements from fashion brands. The reason for this is that these personalities are well known and admired by millions of people. These people constitute the market that the fashion brands target, and the celebrities happen to be their messengers in getting the attention of potential customers (Thomas 2010, p. 26). Most persons, especially the youth, tend to emulate their idols (Brown and Walters 2010, p. 105). They tend to dress and behave in the same manner as their favourite celebrity or athlete. As a result, any attire worn by a famous person is bound to be sought after by their numerous fans (Barrett 2000, p. 17).The media is also responsible for creation of the celebrities and in making them opinion shapers in many issues inclusive of fashion (Collins 2010, p. 63). This is a proposal that seeks to understand effects of the media and celebrities on the body image of individuals and their fashion taste.
Research question
The research questions for this study are:
- What are the effects of celebrities and the media on a person’s self-image and tastes in fashion? The sub-questions include:
- Are the effects of the media on body image positive or negative on the population?
- Is fashion such an integral part of the modern culture to deserve the resources and attention it does?
The expected outcomes of this research are that the media is largely responsible for the determination of trends in fashion, with the celebrities being among the many tools that the media uses to achieve that.
Theoretical Context
Some of the texts that are to be used in this research include Storey (2000) whose views on culture theory and the popular culture have formed a basis for the research question. Feasey’s (2006) text on the glorification of celebrities based on their looks will help in answering how the celebrities have influenced the mindset of the general population regarding what beauty entails. In addition, there is Fuery (2009) and Mijovic (2013), whose books give a peek into the fashion world, its intricacies and the close relations it has with celebrities and showbiz as a whole. Finally, Desser (2000) discusses the shopping habits of Hollywood celebrities and the pressure they are constantly under in defining trends that are to be followed by the rest of the population.
The first cultural theory considered in context of the adoption of fashion trends that have been popularised by the media and celebrities is the theory of information cascade. The modern society is bombarded by a lot of information from varying sources, and it is difficult for the persons in modern times to derive information from a single source on which to base their habits. The media, in a bid to alter the consumption patterns of the public, has come up with the advertising industry (Bikhchandani, Hirshleifer &Welch 1992, p. 992). Adverts ensure that the products of persons sponsoring them are presented to the public through the media at all times, and in the end, they become engraved into the subconscious of the individuals. The theory of informational cascade is used to explain the reason why persons in a certain society tend to follow the norms of their predecessors in terms of behaviour and fashion attire (Seale 2004). These persons tend to do this without considering the new information that they have gathered in their lifetime. The media and celebrity following has in a way managed to reduce the influence of the informational cascade by playing a part in defining the modern culture.
The second cultural theory is related to the effects of the media and celebrities on the behaviour and fashion of the society functionalism. Functionalism explains different parts of the society and their relationship with each other (Saukko 2003). The different aspects of the culture of a society are not necessarily in harmony with each other, but as a whole contribute to the stability of the same society. Over time, technological breakthroughs have made communication and the dissemination of information easier and instant (Denscombe 2003). Media has become a part of the lives of individuals living in the modern society. As a result, media has become a part of the many aspects of the culture in the modern societies, hence contributing to the behaviours of the individuals in the society (Williams 2010, p. 85). It has managed to influence the attitudes and preferences of the individuals and thus has a bearing on their behaviour, sense of self-worth, and choices of fashion. The fashion chosen by an individual can give a lot of information concerning their demographic background, such as their age, social class, and possibly their habits.
The third theory that is in line with the research question at hand is the locality conformity theory. Locality conformity theory suggests that persons in a particular culture have a way that they are inclined to behave as they strive to have a sense of belonging (Bikhchandani, Hirshleifer & Welch 1992, p. 992). This inclination causes them to have similar behaviours and the form of dressing that they choose is a component of that.
Methodology
The texts that will be used in determining the research me include Kumar (2010, p. 23) where advice is given on how to conceptualise the research process and in choosing the most appropriate method to be used in the research process. Pickering (2008) offers advice on how to choose the right method of collecting data for analysis having considered the context and the objectives of the research in cultural studies.
The methods to be used in the collection of data are questionnaires and documentary analysis. The population targeted with these questionnaires is the youth, whose ages range from 15 to 35 years. Experts on media and fashion will also be consulted in the data analysis stage in order to give insights on the findings made during the study. Fixed questionnaires will be chosen, as they are easier to analyse and are more likely to keep the researcher focused on the main research question (Schon 1983). The fixed questionnaires are also going to be more objective compared to the open ended ones or interviews that would end up giving a lot of information that might not be useful to the researcher (Rose 2007). The time taken in the collection of the data will also be reduced by the use of questionnaires as opposed to other methods such as interviews or observation (Blaxter et al. 2010 p. 55; Kvale 1996, p. 78). It will also be possible to reach a larger group of respondents using these questionnaires within the timeframe of the research.
The analysis of the existing literature on the effects of the media on the body image and the fashion adopted by persons will help in supplementing the data gathered using the questionnaire method (Kvale 1996). Documentary analysis will help in filling in information gaps that will be left by the respondents to the questionnaires. It is possible to get information from persons that the researcher would not have access through analysis of the materials they have written (Gray 2003). The bias of the researcher on the subject studies is also reduced by a study of the texts that have been compiled over the subject of research (Bowen 2009, pp. 27-40).
Ethical concerns
The researcher will seek approval of the institution’s research committee having followed the ethical procedures required in carrying out a research of this nature. The respondents of the questionnaires will be informed about the objectives of the research, and given the freedom to choose whether to participate. The respondents will be assured of having their identities kept confidential by the researcher. Permission to carry out the research will be sought from the relevant authorities, and documents of the same shown to the respondents as they receive the questionnaires (Bell 2005). The questionnaires will be accompanied by consent forms that the respondents will be required to sign before filling in the questionnaires. In case the respondents fail to sign the consent form, their filled questionnaires will not be considered in the data analysis stage.
Work plan
The study of effects of the media and celebrities on body image will require the researcher to come up with a work plan that will provide relevant data to be used in coming up with deductions (Bell 2005). The first step is the formulation of the research question. This is followed by identification of the group of respondents that the researcher will get the data from. The methods to be used in the research are chosen according to the needs of the researcher, the resources available, and the scope to be covered by the research. The preparations of research tools, in this case the questionnaires, will be done. This is followed by a pre-test of the questionnaire on a small sample of respondents in order to ascertain their effectiveness (Bell 2005). The relevant documents, including the proposal of the research, will be submitted to the research committee for approval in addition to the local authorities for permission to be granted.
Bibliography
Thomas, J .2001. Reading Images. Basingstoke: Palgrave
.this text discusses the role played by the media in determining the preferences of the masses in terms of consumption.
Brown, T, & Walters, J 2010. Film Moments. [Houndsmill, Basingstoke]: Palgrave Macmillan.
Brown and Walters discuss the different themes that are propagated by the film industry. The celebrities are given bigger than life qualities that make the viewers want to emulate them.
Collins, H 2010. Creative Research: The Theory and Practice of Research for the Creative Industries. Lausanne: AVA Publishing SA.
Collins discusses the state of the creative industry and the way in which celebrities contribute to the growth that industry.
Bikhchandani, S, Hirshleifer, D, & Welch, I 1992. A Theory of Fads, Fashion, Custom, and Cultural Change as Informational Cascades. Journal of Political Economy, 100(5), p.992.
This text discusses the evolution of the fashion industry and the factors that contribute to its growth. In particular, the contribution of the showbiz industry is highlighted.
Seale, C 2004. Researching Society and Culture. London: Sage
Seale has immense information on the different aspects of culture and how they interact with one another. This text is very helpful in the determination of the effect of culture on research.
Saukko, P 2003. Doing research in cultural studies. London: SAGE.
This text is expected to provide in depth information to the researcher on how to do this research on culture and fashion.
Schon, D 1983. The Reflective Practitioner. Temple Smith.
Schon has advice for the researcher on the most effective way of doing the research. Several methods of collecting data and their properties are discussed.
Denscombe, M 2003.The Good Research Guide. 2 ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Denscombe discusses good research practices in the context of the modern and emerging technology.
Williams, G 2010. The Knowledge Economy, Language and Culture. Multilingual Matters: London.
Williams discusses the information age and the effects of this on the culture and practices of persons all over the world. The reliance on the media is somehow making the culture of different groups in the world homogenous.
Blaxter, L, Hughes, C, & Tight, M 2010. How to Research. 4th ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press
Blaxter gives guidance on good research practices and explores the properties of different types of methodologies.
References
Barrett T 2000. Criticising Photographs: an introduction to understanding photographs.London: Mayfield Publishing.’
Bell, J 2005. Doing Your ResearchProject. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Bikhchandani, S,Hirshleifer, D, & Welch, I 1992. A Theory of Fads, Fashion, Custom, and Cultural Change as Informational Cascades. Journal of Political Economy, 100(5), p.992.
Blaxter, L, Hughes, C, & Tight, M 2010. How to Research. 4th ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press
Bowen, G 2009. “Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method“, Qualitative Research Journal, Vol. 9 Iss: 2, pp.27 – 40
Brown, T, & Walters, J 2010. Film Moments. [Houndsmill, Basingstoke]: Palgrave Macmillan.
Collins, H 2010. Creative Research: The Theory and Practice of Research for the Creative Industries. Lausanne: AVA Publishing SA.
Denscombe, M 2003.The Good Research Guide. 2 ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Desser, D (ed.)(2000) Hollywood Goes Shopping. London: University of Minnesota Press.
Feasey, R 2006. ‘Get a famous body’ in Framing Celebrity. London: Routledge Provocative discussion of heat magazine as an empowering text.
Fuery, K 2008. New Media: Culture and Image. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Gray, A 2003.Research practice for cultural studies. London: SAGE.
Kumar, R (2010) Research Methodology: A step by step guide for beginners. London: Sage
Kvale, S 1996 InterViews: an introduction to qualitative research interviewing. London: Sage.
Mijovic, N 2013. ‘Narrative Form and the Rhetoric of Fashion in the Promotional Fashion Films’ in Film, Fashion and Consumption.
Neutzling, K, Edwards, J, & Porth, E 2009. Functionalism – Anthropological Theories – Department of Anthropology – The University of Alabama. [online] Anthropology.ua.edu. Available at: http://anthropology.ua.edu/cultures/cultures.php?culture=Functionalism [Accessed 9 Jun. 2015].
Pickering, M (2008) Research Methods for Cultural Studies. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
Rose, G 2007. Visual Methodologies. London: Sage Publications.
Saukko, P 2003. Doing research in cultural studies. London: SAGE.
Schon, D 1983. The Reflective Practitioner.Temple Smith.
Seale, C 2004. Researching Society and Culture. London: Sage
Storey, J 2000 (3rd ed). Cultural theory and popular culture: An Introduction. London: Prentice Hall.
Thomas, J 2001. Reading Images. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Williams, G 2010. The Knowledge Economy, Language and Culture. Multilingual Matters: London.