Alternative Fashion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Alternative Fashion - Research Paper Example A person who spots alternative fashion styles usually does so, to stick or conform to the subculture that has a unique way of conducting itself outside the mainstream lifestyles. Subcultures, in this case, refer to cultures that consume a majority of a person’s time and are different from predefined social norms. This way, alternative lifestyles are used to show conformity and a sense of identity with the group that one belongs to and its significance. For example, nudism as an alternative lifestyle advocate for people to stay naked or expose their bodies in any manner that makes them feel comfortable. In this case, the alternative fashion is that which helps them identify and portray the values that their lifestyle stands for. However, on alternative lifestyles, people are sometimes classified according to various stereotypes found in the society and not according to their lifestyle. For example, for people who like to live a gothic lifestyle from the dark ages, are usually labeled as Satanists despite having no affiliations with such groups or practices (English Republic). Since this is just but a stereotype, the real value of their lives lies in their outlook of the world around them. In this case, their outlook on life is usually dark, and their thought focus is usually on death. The need to sport alternative fashion in the form of torturous materials and disturbing images adorned on their clothes comes from this outlook. Moreover, on lifestyle, alternative fashions are adorned by members of certain groups and stick to them as their identifying factor in the lives they lead. The groups do not necessarily have written codes but an understanding of how they behave and conduct their activities is known. This is in people such as hippies who are known to be friendly, open-minded and tend to love everyone they meet.