Thought Process Update

After researching I became quite unenthused when it came to thinking about my project, as I was very unsure of what I wanted to create. I knew that I wanted to keep it in the theme of the Locus of control and fashion forecasting in order for my project to easily, but interestingly, reflect the general Future Reset theme. After thinking about fashion forecasting and how people shop, I looked more into how people are obsessed with trends, whether they are aware of it or not. I linked this to The Locus of Control as people with an external locus would see it as people (fashion forecasters) deciding what we are wearing, and people with an internal locus would see it as its still them deciding what they are going to wear. Yet no matter what your locus, you can still follow trends and be consumed by them. 

After thinking about this concept I became a lot more enthusiastic when I thought about where I can go with this project. Could I produce a lookbook showing the contrast between people with external locus' and people with internal locus'? Could I produce just a series of images that are framed? 

I thought about how people spot trends and how people begin the wanting process of the desire to own the clothes. I thought about fashion magazines and how they target specific audiences and produce these glamorous, desirable yet mostly unachievable images of models wearing clothes that will be what we want to wear next season. I think that idea is really interesting. What if I cover a glamorous looking model in receipts. You would expect to find a glamorous made up model dressed in equally glamorous clothing, however what if the model was wearing really unglamorous clothing , i.e. covered in receipts. The idea would be that she/he is advertising the idea to spend money rather than showing readers the actual clothes. It would show how the actual pieces of clothing are lost in the process of buying them a lot of the time. Many people are more excited about the status of spending a certain amount of money, or what brand they have just bought from than the actual piece of clothing. Magazines such as Vogue and Elle use celebrities as well as models to promote style and their brand on their covers. These people are celebrities have a lot of money and so what they are promoting is an unachievable status, yet people are still going to attempt to achieve it, and think that they will by buying similar clothes. 

Psychology Research

Nature vs Nurture is something that I have linked to the psychology side behind my concept of the locus of control. Also the idea of the glass half full, or glass half empty.

If you are taught from a young age the importance of money you might think more about what you are spending your money one.

Linking to the locus of control. Being in control - if you are a true shopaholic do you feel in control. Are you actually in control. If your parents have an external locus you are more likely to have an external locus, and the same with an internal locus. If you have an external locus you may be more consumed by the trends and what is influencing you. If you have an internal locus then you may be more self aware on what you are influenced by and even if you follow the trends, you are fully aware of it.

I have thought about how I could show this in my project and I have thought about how I could produce a magazine cover. I could produce two magazine covers even - one focusing on an external locus and the other focusing on an internal locus. I have looked into Vogue magazine covers as inspiration for the style of possible magazine covers. I have then thought about linking it to my theme of future reset and thinking how I could have a futuristic magazine cover, or even a old fashioned magazine cover, or maybe combine them or have one of each.

Trends and Impulsive shopping

I have thought more about how this topic relates to my theme of the future reset. The idea of being consumed by trends and ultimately buying what you are told to buy from what is being advertised made me think a lot about whether it is the clothes we are buying or the brand. I visited a local popular shopping centre and observed peoples shopping habits. Popular shops such as Victoria Secret Pink brought in a lot of teenage girls and all they came in to buy was the smallest size of body sprays just for the bag. I am aware (from doing it myself) that those girls will most likely save the bag and use it for their PE kits come Monday morning. 

Shopping for the Status Not for the Goods

I have been thinking about trends throughout this project and how they change, and we change to suit the trends. I have been thinking about shopping for the brand rather than for the clothes or accessories.

Case Study research

I took it upon myself to research into different case studies that have already looked into people being obsessed with fashion trends and shopping for them. I looked at an article titled 'Confessions of Former Shopaholics' which I found HERE. Upon visiting the site I was surprised to find them advertising for various different clothing retailers on the top and sides of the article. I also found out whilst reading the article that 'Approximately 2 to 5 percent of Americans have a shopping addiction. For many, the consequences are devastating: more than 1 in 20 Americans have a shopping habit that jeopardises their relationships or careers, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry'.  

Reading that 2 to 5 percent of americans have a shopping addiction made me think that that isn't that many people, however after calculating it is still over 6 million which is a shocking number. The other statistic that I read would mean that over 64 million Americans have a shopping habit that jeopardises relationships or even careers. That number is truly shocking and made me think a lot about the circumstances of said habits. Are the shopaholics aware of the fact that they have a problem. It also made me think about whether simple lessons about money were taught when the shopaholics were younger. Or maybe the lessons were taught and due to the spending restrictions as children they feel the need to over spend as adults. 

Research for Final Major Project so far

So far on this project I have thought about many different ways that I can start to think about the way in which I want to take the theme of future reset that I am interested in. I am still intrigued in the idea of the locus of control, and how people think it is others that are the causes of their futures. I thought about how I can manipulate this idea to fit a specialism. I am interested in media and of fashion. I thought about how social media can push fashion trends and how even if you think you are in control, what you wear is most likely heavily influenced by something or someone else. In a similar way I thought about different religions and how depending on your faith, you may be restricted to wear a certain thing and act a certain way. These choices are on different places on the locus of control spectrum. For media influences it still comes down to your choice so it would be a more moderate external locus. However people of faith would be a stronger external locus. Some people may argue that it is still moderate and not strong because they still have a choice whether to have faith in a religion, but to some they believe that it is the only option. 

I have also thought about the specialism I would like to work in throughout this project and I thought about how I would like to work with photography as we only worked with that specialism for two weeks and I really enjoyed it and would like to have more experience with it.