Identity Is A Fundamental Part Of Our Lives - 1442 Words

Identity is a fundamental part of our lives. Our actions define our identity and it defines our actions. Living in a challenging and changing world, means that at some point in life, people struggle to discover who they might be. Rummens (1993) defines identity as a distinct characteristic belonging to a particular individual or shared by individuals of the same group. There are mainly three different types of identity such as individual identity, social identity and collective identity (Thompson, 2012). Thompson states the first one-individual identity-refers to everything that helps to identify who you are, for example, passport, national insurance number, biometric data, birth certificate, friends, relationships and family. Thompson†¦show more content†¦First, which aspects of our identity can we not control. Second, in which ways might external influences affect our identity. It follows from the above that identity can be changed in part, but it is difficult to control it. This essay will look at the issue of identity in relation to fashion and social media. It is widely acknowledged that there is a relationship between fashion and identity. Kaiser (2013) claims that fashion is inseparably linked with how we construct and reconstruct our identity. It is through appearance styles that individuals express their personalities. They express â€Å"who they are or who they want or do not want to become†. This idea is supported by Richmond (2008) who claims that as individuals we are constantly looking for what is missing in our lives. It can be said that that individuals pursuit objects that are appealing for them. This objects, in this case clothes, can help them to create an image of how they want others to see them, and to make them being acknowledged. However, the problem is that individuals that use fashion to express themselves might be controlled by the fashion industry. Seo (2012) cited on Not Just a Label (2014), supports the above by saying that fashion is more commercial than ever before full of pre-existing designers and b rands. These markets change every season, so if an individual follows a determined type of brand to express oneself and this brand is