– Does Fashion change people’s interest? or behavior of psychology
WHAT:
Nowadays, the monotony and stress of everyday life often leaves one feeling very empty. This is especially true with men, as it has been found that typical masculine coping mechanisms tend to rely less on personal interaction than women, and as such, escapism is much more common for men (Chang et al., 2018).This escapism, however, is not always considered healthy, as it can lead to the degradation of social life and a general detachment from reality (Barari, 2013).
WHY:
(Identity)
Since science fiction almost exclusively looks towards the future, the issue of performativity is of high consideration. Some schools of thought argue that the high performance of garments is more of a focus for males who not only associate actual performance and functionality with fashion garments, but also value the superficial performativity of functionality of them (Leeker et al., 2017). In these theories of performativity, there is a difference in social expectations of either gender, with men being expected to be more productive in physically stressful environments whereas women are expected to do this to a lesser extent (Entwistle and Mears, 2012). This further extends to clothing and fashion, where men’s clothes are commonly more visibly functional and utilitarian, being focused more around utility whereas women’s clothes are commonly made to look better (Entwistle and Mears, 2012).This ties into the identity of being a man, or in modernity’s higher consideration of gender fluidity, identities which hold masculinity as an important or defining factor (Baccolini, 2014). As such, in addition to the fan base of science fiction media being more male than female, the primarily functional nature of science fiction aesthetics appeals considerably more to males than females, positioning them as a prime target for marketing efforts of science fiction fashion.
Beyond the identity of gender, science fiction fashion also has a highly recognisable aesthetic which many would associate with futuristic or performant characteristics (Entwistle and Mears, 2012). This means that consumers can make externally clear chosen facets of their own identity through science fiction fashion apparel (Powell and Gilbert, 2009). Some characteristics of these can align well with those from outfits in films or be unique enough to spark interest and allow the wearer to express their own forward-thinking perspectives and identity in wearing this fashion (Page, 2016). This process allows consumers to develop their own overall sense of identity and furthermore, a feeling of belonging or comfortability with other consumers making similar identity expressions (Page, 2016).
In modern psychology, this is classified as “avoidant personality”. It can lead to the degeneration of social life, further pessimism in life, and a disconnect from reality. So Some people might use anime or video games enhance their personal lives. It would be beneficial to offer alternatives, such as providing opportunities to bring positive associations from “better” worlds into reality (Gibbons and Kupferman, 2019).
HOW:
(Methodology)
This study takes a social constructivist approach, using qualitative data for analysis (Creswell and Clark, 2017). This has been suggested as the best approach to understand science fiction aesthetics and how they can be incorporated into men’s fashion since it allows a deeper inquiry into the topic. Qualitative methods provide researchers with a high richness and depth of information gathered, though they cannot be generalised across a population and are primarily used to gain a baseline understanding for future quantitative data collection, which is why quantitative methods are also used (Creswell and Clark, 2017).
In this research, image analysis will be performed on recent fashion designs that have been inspired by science fiction films. An image analysis looks at characteristics of images and compares them either to other images or extant research to develop a better understanding of the processes which may have led to these characteristics (Liu et al., 2014). This analysis will draw on concepts of escapism, performance, and identity that are the key theories in this essay. These images of real fashion garments and concept art or photographs will be sourced from the internet. This analysis will be done on current fashion and media, and of images from similar sources in more recent years to provide a contemporary understanding.
Theories –Escapism
The popularity of science fiction is both due to consumer hedonism and the freedom of plot and worldbuilding available to writers in believable settings (Winchester III, 2018). Many science fiction plots do not feel far-fetched to believe as a possible future for humanity, and this thus offers a prime opportunity for viewers to escape the monotony or stresses of their daily lives (Chang et al., 2018). Escapism using various forms of media such as video games, films or television is incredibly common and it allows positive associations to be formed with certain worlds for people who may not necessarily be happy with aspects of reality (Gibbons and Kupferman, 2019). This is especially true with men, as it has been found that commonly masculine coping mechanisms tend to rely less on personal interaction than women, and as such escapism is much more common for men (Chang et al., 2018). This escapism however is not always considered healthy, as if misdirected it can lead to degradation of social life, further pessimism in life, and general detachment from reality (Barari, 2013). This can commonly happen in situations where issues in a person’s life may appear insurmountable or difficult to process, leading to the seeking of a better mental state by focusing on (usually unreal) positive ideas. As such, scholars argue that it would be beneficial to offer alternatives to more total escapism such as providing opportunities to bring positive associations from “better” worlds into reality (Gibbons and Kupferman, 2019). This can be done through event hosting, online communities, positive identity encouragement, or more physical approaches such as science fiction styled fashion (Chang et al., 2018). The externality of such fashion items to an extent would allow this comfort of escapism to move with garment owners and out into reality, providing it with benefits to the consumer beyond just entertainment (Shane-Nichols et al., 2016).
Such science fiction aesthetics are usually developed in the media to give an easily identifiable character impression within a plot. This can commonly be done by drawing parallels with historical events or groups, assisting with automatic identification, but also certain aesthetic themes have been developed for various types of character within the genre itself (Kim and Kim, 2015). Often aspects of this are as simple as dark character design equating to antagonists in the plot, and it offers the chance for viewers to identify with certain character designs which they associate with certain traits (Díaz-Soloaga, 2016). This means that science fiction fashion items developed with certain aesthetics in mind can bring with them a number of positive connotations and thus hedonic feelings which further make such garments desirable (Edwards, 2016). There is a wide variety of aesthetics to choose from in science fiction fashion due to its hypothetical nature of designs, which is important since it offers men a new avenue for expressing self-identity (Kim and Kim, 2015).
My first point is to further normalize men’s awareness of fashion. It has been found that men are more receptive to novel technological products, evidenced by the increasing norm for men to have gadget-oriented hobbies and interests. So expressed through the structure and style of clothing, making the escapist comfort come into reality and providing consumers with benefits beyond entertainment.
My second proposal on how to help them become better is to focus on changing their mindset. Figure out what’s bother ing them — work, family, relationships — and figure out how to solve it. Activities that reward the individual, such as meditation and working on hobbies, can help shift an individual’s mindset from negative to positive.
The third method to improve this issue is through psychotherapy. Anxiety, ADHD, depression are all psycho logical afflictions that can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Therefore, such people may be in need of therapy — or even serious medication.
WHAT IF:
Image Analysis
In this image analysis, three images have been selected from three different science fiction film to be analysed. In Figure 6, it is evident that for many rebels in Star Wars, a primitive look was chosen, with inspiration from more remote areas of the Middle East and historically plain clothes. With the design this retains a form of elegance however, since functionality or movement is not restricted by the layers of fabric of the core outfit, though as mentioned before this also ties into the narrative surrounding the garments. Such characters are purposely designed with simple clothing to enforce their position as the underdog, and align with their overall better respect and closeness with nature (Zhamanov et al., 2017). Aspects of this are common in much of the media and not only limited to science fiction, although the nature of science fiction allows it to create new looks from old inspiration.
Kanye West’s line-up of clothing has taken a similar aesthetic, focusing on a plain look which appeals to much of modernity’s desires for overt minimalism and sustainability-oriented visuals. The natural colouring of the garments further separates it from traditional fashion nowadays, making its plainness visually louder than many designs which offer a higher level of intricacy. From this, it allows statements to be made about one’s identity, which in this case could be argued to be oriented largely around the idea of sustainability and minimalism (Powell and Gilbert, 2009; Page, 2016).
In the face of urban pressures, masculinity should be embraced as an important or determining factor of identity, allowing men to express their avant-garde views and identities while wearing fashion. This process enables consumers to develop their own sense of overall identity and further develop a sense of belonging or comfort.
In my opinion, whether a behavior is escapist or not depends on its purpose or attitude, and whether it is negative or positive. If done occasionally after work or studying in order to release pressure, I think it can be beneficial and not escapist. If entertainment is only used to escape from the frustrations and anxieties of reality, then I would classify such behavior as escapist. But to say that any entertainment is an escape from life is, I think, a bit arbitrary. When people are tired and in need of relaxation, moderate entertainment is both acceptable and beneficial. However, long-term addiction to games is, indeed, a kind of escape from reality. Daily procrastination can lead to the gradual degradation of society, which is not sustainable in the long term.
Bibliography:
Barari, A., (2013). Reasons Why Men Envy Women. Bold Sky. [online] available at:
Chang, S. M., Hsieh, G. M., & Lin, S. S. (2018). The mediation effects of gaming motives between game involvement and problematic Internet use: Escapism, advancement, and socializing. Computers & Education, 122, 43-53.
Gibbons, A., & Kupferman, D. W. (2019). Flow my tears, the teacher said: Science fiction as method. In Innovations in Narrative and Metaphor (pp. 167-181). Springer, Singapore.
Proposed reading list:
Winchester III, W. W. (2018). Afrofuturism, inclusion, and the design imagination. interactions, 25(2), 41-45.
Shane-Nichols, A., McCrohan, D., & Chung, T. L. (2016). NFL Fanatics Communication of Identity through Apparel and Merchandise: A Gender Comparison. Iowa State University ITAA Annual Conference. [online] available at: https:// lib.dr.iastate.edu/itaa_proceedings/ 2016/presentations/71/
Kim, S. S., & Kim, Y. S. (2015, June). Androgyny in deconstructive fashion. In 2015 Global Fashion Management Conference at Florence. 610-611.
Díaz-Soloaga, P. (2016). Fashion films as a new communication format to build fashion brands. University of Navarra. [online] available at: https://dadun.unav.edu/ handle/ 10171/41897
Edwards, T. (2016). Men in the Mirror: Men’s Fashion, Masculinity, and Consumer Society. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Figure 6:Kanye West’s Yeezy sustainability-oriented aesthetics (Fashionisto, 2017). Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill (Vanity Fair, 2017).