"Gender, culture, and consumer behaviour" - Cele C. Otnes and Linda Tuncay Zayer

In this post, I would like to describe what I have learned about men's fashion history from a book called: "Gender culture and consumer behaviour" edited by Cele C. Otnes and Linda Tuncay Zayer. It is a part of research for my  2nd term main project.

Gender Identity by Robert Espiritu

"The power to define which groups are vulnerable is the power to define meaning and position within a society." (Brummett, 1994; Clawson & Trice, 2000)

Gender identity as well as gender in general are one of the hardest topics for human to define. It seems like a very basic subject and straightforward answer however, it is a very subjective one at the end. However, scientists agree that it is a problem going beyond the stereotype-like way of thinking these days. It has become more fluid and easier for some to identify with right now than it was years ago. As Schroeder (2003, p.1) cited by Otnes and Zayer (2012, p.6) states, the concept of gender is way broader than ones demographic or characteristics. It is rather an unconscious way we experience things and events around us. The combination of these elements later defines the way we are and behave. Furthermore, Lerner (1986) defines gender as a theory strongly shaped by our past, our civilisational achievements as well as understanding of the world.

Chapter "Literature review: A brief introduction to men's fashion"

At the end of the nineteenth century, the way people were dressed was not that differentiated due to the development of faster production caused by technology evolvement. Higher and middle classes were not so different in the way they dressed any more and it became harder to see it. More wealthy part of society did not like these changes and announced a set of rules for the middle and low class that were limiting certain characteristics of garments to be worn by these parts of population. It was a kind of ''dress code" set for these people so aristocracy could feel better and wear more exclusive garments (Laver, 1995). This game of cat and mouse can be still unfortunately seen today.

"When men thus started to wear the early predecessors of the modern suit, it was a fundamental change in male apparel—a change many times described as the 'great masculine renunciation' "                 (McNeil & Karaminas, 2009). 

After French revolution, male gave up the beauty and started to dress purely in a practical way.

It has been proposed recently that we see a “new hegemonic masculinity” (Patterson & Elliott, 2002, p. 241) that includes a feminisation of masculinity and invites men from all social positions to partake in the carnival of consumption in ways previously reserved predominantly for female consumers (Edwards, 2009; Schroeder & Zwick, 2004).

In my opinion, it is truly an amazing idea to convince man to dress the way they would like. I am not trying to tell anybody to dress in totally oposite to what they wear now however, it is commonly accepted by society fro men to dress very simply, with only a few accessories and toned down colours. Of course there is a 'higher class' or minor part of society which dresses differently but that includes men artist, wealthy people and smaller cultural groups of young people. I would like to see the approach to gender and more specifically to the way men dress clothing and express themselves through it, in more free, less restricted way. Even though this has changed over recent years, the majority of us feel embarrassed when we want to put on the garment we truly like. And that we like ourselves in, which is even more important. 

I would like to play with that approach to the clothing in my collection to create something interesting for men. I would like to widen the playfield for them and to help them wear more interesting, engaging garments that can make them feel good, important or even powerful in. I would like to put in their closets bigger range of silhouettes, textures and materials so that they look more attractive and intriguing.

Sources:

Otnes, C. and Zayer, L. (2012) Gender, Culture, and Consumer Behaviour. New York: Taylor & Francis Group

Espiritu, R., n.d. Gender Identity. [image] Available at: <https://raespiri2.myportfolio.com/gender-identity-printingmaking-project> [Accessed 11 February 2021].