Michael Jackson, Fashion, and Identity

Fashion provides a shortcut by which we enter another identity and join a subculture that insulates us from other styles . It offers choices images in which one could produce their individual identity . Many public figures experiment with fashion and style in to create , change and construct their social identity . Since the early days of the Jackson Five , Michael Jackson had set himself apart from every other musical artist with his unique sense of style and impressive talents . He had been both a pop icon and a fashion icon for the past decade . Each

decade of his career provided a host of incredibly creative design element . His constant change of fashion and image promote the creation of one 's own individual style as well as identity . He did much to change the social conventions around racial and gender classification . Disguising his own identity , whether male or female , black or white , Michael Jackson suggested that identity was a construct , and it could be perceived through appearance

Traditionally , it was not acceptable especially for Michael Jackson to blur his own identity . There were proper codes of appearance and fashion that people perceived as social acceptable . These codes were created as a norm that the appearance should be able to identify one 's identity in a particular social class , gender , and status . Gradually , these traditional cultural codes had been overthrown . Douglas Kellner suggested that it was during this overthrow when fashion became an important element of the construction of new identities , along with sex drugs , and rock `n ' roll , phenomena also involved in the changing fashions of the day (161 . The codes were no longer the norm but overthrowing these codes became a norm . It was during this time when public figures like Michael Jackson became prominence

ANALYSIS of Michael Jackson 's fashion , style , performances , work , dance etc

Michael Jackson easily projected distinctive contrasting and constant changing images from his first performances with the Jackson Five through the present . His unique combination of contrasting mixed with a tough street gang style and a subtle feminine image exceeded predictable fashion predictions and expectations . He combined two opposite images at the same time as opposed of projecting one image then portraying another . He portrayed a gay guy being really in love with a woman who is trying to get her attention , a tough street gang member who has feminine characteristics and black and white . Another contrasting image is distinctive in his fashions is rich vs poverty level dressing . In the majority of his videos , he wears clothes that anyone could wear in everyday life without raising any eyebrows , unless someone is paying attention to the colors , fabrics and so on . Normally , such opposite characteristics in one person seems like some fantasy or make-believe image in a fairy tale book . His simultaneously contrasting images changes what people will socially accept . Through his fashion , he promotes creation of individuality as well as social identity and change the social conventions around racial and gender classification . Michael actually did...