Some interesting reads ...

[vintagewitch]

There was a fascinating article over on Offbeat Home and Life that I read over my lunch break. It was about Hardcore Norming - a recent trend of people who are "radical" wearing "normal" clothing as a way to buck the trend of cultural consumerism.

I just wanted to make a quick note of all of this, because I think it's fascinating. I definitely remember the rise of Hot Topic as an "alternative" mall shop - very much encouraging the commodification of goth/punk/cyber fashion in the '00s. I know that I actually did participate in this for a while, and then when I realized how much of a mall rat I'd become, I started wearing very "normal" clothes that I found at thrift shops.

I find fashion fascinating because of the way that it declares an identity, but that identity is negotiated because of a broader culture of images that you are either challenging or buying into.

For future reference, here are some books:

Nation of Rebels: Why Counterculture Became Consumer Culture
Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are

And this extended blog post has other links to sources.

Aaaaaaanyway, back to work for me! Lunch is OVER.

Comments

[riotous-muse.livejournal.com]

It's so overwhelming! I struggle with identity in so many ways. Even simply finding clothing that fits is an enormous feat for me. It's hard for me to put effort into fashion at all. I would just like a thousand dresses that fit, tights & leggings for underneath in every color imaginable, and a whole bunch of things for keeping my arms warm/dry/covered when necessary. I'd add a sturdy selection of versatile pants to the mix, but that seems a laughable request for my body & situation.