문화사회학적 시각에서 본 패션의 전략적 사용

Abstract

Using a data set drawn from 1419 college students, this study analyzes what implications clothing or fashion has on self-expression or image management in Korean society and who are more likely to use fashion as a image management tool in the process of interacting with others. Employing Pierre Bourdieu's concept of capital, we discuss three theories concerning correspondence between class and fashion: the theory focusing on economic capital in emphasizing the correspondence; the theory focusing on cultural capital in emphasizing the correspondence and the theory emphasizing relationships between fashion and other factors rather than class. Based on the theoretical examination, we select independent variables that can be grouped into status/class variables, or economic capital variables(such as subjective status, income, father's education, father's occupation) and socio-cultural variables, or cultural capital variables(such as possession of cultural capital, desire for upward mobility). Upon regressing strategic use of fashion on independent variables, we find that both status/class variables and socio-cultural variables are statistically significant in explaining the strategic mobilization of fashion for one's image production or social success. It shows that class as a form of economic capital has important effects on the strategic use of fashion, and cultural capital also has effects independent of economic capital.