The Right Stuff: Fashioning an

Identity through Clothing in a

Junior School

By Jon Swain

Group 6: Nicolle Hiddleston, Sara Dixon, Avery Moore, Hunter Harvin, Chahat Hamirani

Abstract

“This article explores the key role played by clothing as an expression of individual and collective identity amongst 10-11 year-olds.”

“The article proposes that a relaxed enforcement of school uniform created a space for pupils to use clothing as a means of gaining recognition, of generating common bonds, and of sharing interests and intimacy within the peer group cultures.”

“There is a specific concentration on boys’ cultures…”

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to explore the role clothing played in the expression of identity among middle school-aged children.

Specifically, the author wanted to determine how clothing choices of the students contributed to the social construction of masculinity in a working-class school.

Background and Methodology

Focus of the study was a class of 10-11 year olds at a junior school (elementary)

Working-class citizens

An increasing number of disadvantaged families were populating the surrounding area.

The author identified the main surrounding structures of the students as family, friends, community figures, and popular culture.

Part One of Uniform Policy: Regulation and Control

Uniform policy was proposed in1995. It consists of several color options for tops and bottoms.

The major component of the policy is the color of the tops.

Westmoor Abbey is relatively lenient due to other priorities and parental opposition.

Average compliance is between 80% and 95%.

Part Two of Uniform Policy: Regulation and

Control

Many color options given, but students disobeyed the rules.

The school made rules for clothing colors but nothing for shoes.

Result = students show resistance to policy.

Difficult to enforce rules because of parents.

Teachers, Teaching and Dress Codes

Teachers had a dress code too.

Students also influenced the teachers.

Author discusses the influence it had on him.

Masculinities and Culture

School plays a prominent role in the formation of masculine identity.

“In the know” “Not only adhere to the right look…also much talk

about the right subjects, use the right speech, the right body language, etc.”

Masculinity established through resistance to clothing policy; those who didn’t resistant were subject to ridicule.

Identities have different meanings in different places.

Pupil Cultures and Pupil Networks “Pupil cultures” refer to a “way of life”, or

“shared guidelines.” Networks help to develop both individual and

collective identities. Three main groups of boys within the culture:

1. Dominant/Hegemonic Group2. Complicit but Marginalized Group3. Subordinated Group

“Nothing classifies somebody more than the way he or she classifies.”

Fashion as a cultural capital in gaining advancement in social hierarchy. Uniting & Differentiating.

Looking Right, and Wearing the Right Stuff

Designer Labels (pay more for a Reebok logo)

Getting noticed, standing out (having hand-me-downs gets you noticed but not in the right way)

Shoes had the greatest 'currency' in terms of status (they stand out the most more than anything on your body for guys) Look, style, expense came before comfort and mobility Costs were ignored a majority of the time (not until

you begin to spend your own money does cost actually set in, too late though because habit has been learned)

Examples Levi's Rebel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ryvJnAr2qw&feature=related Group depicting cultural identity

Nike Shoes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9yQaGj46Nw “This one looks hard.”

Louboutin Red Sole: http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/louboutn-red-sole.jpg “This one’s worth 100 pounds.”

Subordinated Forms of Masculinity: Gays and Boffs

Stereotyping is learned through family and peers (textbook)

If a boy were to wear anything other than the accepted attire, he ran the risk of being called a “gay” or “boff”.

Gay- connoted as non-masculine and effeminate (not conceptualized in terms of sexuality).

Boff- directed towards anyone who didn’t comply with the appropriate subculture of the class.

Cultural attire and perceptions of identity are highly localized .

Conclusions

In this class, clothing played a dominant role in the formation of one’s identity, particularly in the expression and construction of masculinity.

Dangers of not conforming to social and cultural norms.

Expressions of identity vary based on interactions of co-cultures.

“There was a cultural need to conform and perform to the masculine boundaries in play.”