Navigating identity formation via clothing during emerging adulthood
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
ISSN: 1361-2026
Article publication date: 3 July 2023
Issue publication date: 21 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to examine the experiences of emerging adults transitioning from college to career and the implications of this transition on clothing choice and identity formation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilized a phenomenological approach to address how appearances are used by emerging adults during the transition from college to the workplace and how those appearances help form identity.
Findings
The study found that participants have a desire for high-status consumption, primarily fueled by social comparison and the desire to keep up with colleagues, a desire to express identity through clothing, even if they are working from home, and the tendency to convey maturity during this transitory time by dressing the part.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of this study is the homogenous nature of participants. Most are white females in their 20s who work in the fashion industry. It would be fruitful to consider a more representative population of emerging adults to examine the role of clothing choice on identity formation during this critical time.
Practical implications
This study highlights the need for change in the retail sector, regarding which garments create a professional wardrobe. Since the pandemic, many companies have shifted to a casual dress code, thus rendering the historically professional wardrobe of business attire obsolete.
Originality/value
Examining what it means to be an emerging adult joining the workforce in today's post-pandemic world is a complex and ongoing process. This study provides insight into how this experience is navigated via clothing and how identities are shaped during this transition in a person's life.
Keywords
Citation
Brown, V. (2024), "Navigating identity formation via clothing during emerging adulthood", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 226-239. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-01-2023-0019
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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