Relação entre a indumentária e a identidade social entre os jovens na cidade de Maputo

Abstract

This research discusses the relationship between clothing and social identity among young people in the Maputo city. The study analyzes how young people build their identity through clothing, based on the idea that there is a set of classifying attributes of individuals through certain clothes worn by them. The study used a qualitative approach, based on semi- structured interviews for data collection, which were carried out with 18 young people of both sexes and aged between 18 and 25 years, Data analysis was performed using the technique of content analysis. The results reveal that young people have different values, attitudes, emotions and a representation regarding the process of identity construction based on clothing, and this process is carried out through two main pillars, which are: the perception that young people have of themselves when they wear an outfit and the perception that others have about the outfit. It was also found that the relationship between clothing and social identity is a significant result of the junction of primary socialization and social relations of young people, which results in the process of social identification based on clothing, which derives from the meanings given to clothing by individuals. Finally, it is revealed that young people, through the different components of clothing, do not only build a social identity, but multiple ones, depending on the context in which they are inserted.