Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Communication, Media, and Theatre

First Advisor

Edie Rubinowitz, M.P.A.

Abstract

Seeking Second Skins, a mini magazine serving as a slight counter to mainstream fashion reporting. This creative project unpacks clothing’s role in impression management, the modern fashion industry’s role in hypercommercialism and more.

The project will open with images and this conversational note, titled A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR, explaining my process and main ideas:

Hello,

I’m an NEIU senior and University Honors Program member pursuing a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies. On November 24, 2020, I donated nine large bags of clothes, shoes and bags. This experience made me wonder how and why people collect material things— clothing specifically. Apart from our outfit choices, deemed fashion statements, our shopping habits can say a lot about us. In late August of 2022, I moved away from home and had even more items to donate following the 2020 declutter! How and why did clothes shopping dominate my free time? Can others relate?

During the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, I interviewed and photographed 27 people including students, professors, fashion lovers and strangers about the fashion industry, varying definitions of style and much more. Some of their experiences, bound in this project, distinctly answer my questions. I’ve always been interested in consumerism, because my abuela, mom and brother are the biggest “shopaholics” I know. For years, I assumed I shopped smarter than them. I’m still unqualified to judge anyone’s shopping habits, as I’m learning to shop smarter alongside readers. What is smarter shopping? One answer involves alleviating social and environmental burdens associated with consumerism— conscientiously seeking second skins.

~Alisa

Comments

A copy of the Seeking Second Skins mini-magazine is available below through the link under Additional Files.

Additional Files
ZHON 395 SSS (Facing Pages)- Scott, Alisa.pdf (55853 kB)
Download
COinS