Making sense of a person's identity through style

Abstract

Identity is a set of characteristics that defines an individual or a group. Berzonsky (1990) has defined identity as being constructed by the self, which is made up of several personal events, relevant to one's life. The process of identity construction requires that identity is discovered rather than produced. Through interaction with others in society, an individual discovers one's identity, which can often be portrayed through style. The aim of this study is to explore how an individual makes sense of their own identity through style by analysing the adoption of styles by people, understanding its relation to identity construction, and exploring the impact of how such individuals perceive other people's impressions of them. A qualitative approach was used throughout the study. Semi structured interviews were used to carry out the research where the data obtained was analysed by using the constant comparative method, applying open, axial, and core coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). The findings demonstrate that most people give a considerable amount of importance to style and exhibit their identity through particular clothing choices as determined by personal and external factors. The thesis concludes with recommendations for further research.