Level 6 Dissertation Proposal Question - Unsure
Having now done a number of essays throughout my time on this course, and having all those essays being based on the same topic for consistency and for my own interest on the topic, I have chosen to base my dissertation on the same topic again, and that topic is Identity.
I have chosen to stick to the same topic as I already have initial research from previous work and this is something I wish to develop on. Most recently I have focussed on gender identity and how dress contributes to portraying us as a certain gender, whether that be biologically true or not. For my dissertation however, I want to focus more on the behaviour side of identity, and how dress determines behaviour and vice versa. By doing this I feel I can take the topic deeper by looking into psychology and how the mind or dress determines certain behavioural traits along with stereotypes and if and how they relate and correspond.
To get the appropriate research and understanding for the psychology and behavioural part of my dissertation I plan to spend time with students who are studying psychology and in depth behaviour, who have just completed their dissertations. I feel this is ideal to get the correct understanding from a psychology point of view and not from a fashion-stereotype-representation-prejudice point of view.
Research behind chosen topic.
Whilst I already have some initial research on the topic of gender from my previous works, I started to do some more based psychology and behaviour based research when it comes to dress and fashion and representation. Whilst doing this I noticed that a lot of information already out there is more about the behaviour of the consumer when buying dress and fashion, and less so the psychology behind the behaviour. I’m aiming to look at the reasoning behind the behaviour leading to why we choose to represent ourselves a certain way, or choose to judge someone in a certain way because of what they’re wearing, why stereotypes are there in the first place.
I have started to look at consumer buying related articles to see whether they can contribute to my dissertation along with general non fashion related articles about stereotypes.
DeLace, J. (2016). The Psychology and Behaviour of Consumers in the Fashion Industry. [online] Digitalcommons.uri.edu. Available at: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1238&context=srhonorsprog [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. Science Buddies. (2016). Testing How Clothing Choices Impact the Behavior of Others Around Us. [online] Available at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/project_ideas/Soc_p002.shtml [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. the Guardian. (2009). Young people speak about stereotypes of youth. [online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/apr/15/stereotypes-young-people [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. Verkaik, R. (2006). Behind the stereotypes: The shocking truth about teenagers. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/behind-thestereotypes-the-shocking-truth-about-teenagers-421295.html [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016].
I have started to look at designers that take an in depth approach to creating an identity and a story throughout their collections. Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen are the two I will focus on majorly.
Vivienne Westwood Gold Label
Alexander McQueen SS 2011
Research in chosen topic.
To research in my chosen topic I will definitely talk to psychology students to get an opinion from outside of fashion as I feel this will benefit my dissertation immensely. I will also look at other sources of information such as books, websites, articles, social media to see how behaviour is construed.
I will look at fashion designers who feel that clothing is more than just that, that they see it as creating an identity and whether the behaviour of someone changes how this identity is portrayed.
Vivienne Westwood is a designer I will look at intensely for this project; ‘my clothes have a story. They have an identity. They have a character and a purpose. That’s why they become classics. Because they keep on telling a story. They are still telling it’ Frankel, S. (2012). Vivienne Westwood: 'You have a more interesting life if you wear. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/viviennewestwood-you-have-a-more-interesting-life-if-you-wear-impressive-clothes-8157187.html [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016].
Ways in which I will research.
When it comes to researching I will use various different ways to make sure I gather all the varying information and opinions on this subject. I will look at things like social media and different media platforms as identity, behaviour and fashion are all cohesively a relevant topic matter. I will create and observe anonymous questionnaires to gather a wide range of information and have no biased or pre judged reactions. I will also look at books, both psychological/behavioural and fashion related so I can understand and combine the correlation between the two.
I feel it is very important to get an outside view on this topic instead of just looking at the history of fashion as this will be a more superficial outlook compared to a deeper psychological outlook.
References Alexander McQueen | Designer Fashion and Luxury Clothing. (2016). Alexander McQueen | Designer Fashion and Luxury Clothing. [online] Available at: http://www.alexandermcqueen.com/gb [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016]. Allwood, E. (2015). British fashion’s new identity politics. [online] Dazed. Available at: http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/24624/1/british-fashion-s-new-identity-politics [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016]. Behance.net. (2016). Behance. [online] Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/12181551/Alexander-McQueen-Brand-Identity [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016]. DeLace, J. (2016). The Psychology and Behaviour of Consumers in the Fashion Industry. [online] Digitalcommons.uri.edu. Available at: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1238&context=srhonorsprog [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. Frankel, S. (2012). Vivienne Westwood: 'You have a more interesting life if you wear. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/viviennewestwood-you-have-a-more-interesting-life-if-you-wear-impressive-clothes-8157187.html [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016]. Science Buddies. (2016). Testing How Clothing Choices Impact the Behavior of Others Around Us. [online] Available at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/project_ideas/Soc_p002.shtml [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. the Guardian. (2009). Young people speak about stereotypes of youth. [online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/apr/15/stereotypes-young-people [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. Verkaik, R. (2006). Behind the stereotypes: The shocking truth about teenagers. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/behind-thestereotypes-the-shocking-truth-about-teenagers-421295.html [Accessed 5 Jun. 2016]. Vivienne Westwood. (2016). New HP. [online] Available at: http://www.viviennewestwood.com/engb?gclid=CPu6mOD-ks0CFRITGwodUvYOsA [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016]. Vogue UK. (2016). Vogue.co.uk Homepage. [online] Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/ [Accessed 6 Jun. 2016].