Erasmus University Thesis Repository
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The so-desirable fashionable woman
No full textThis thesis purposefully examined the development of the societal role of women portrayed in US
Vogue issues from 1945 to 2015. Vogue is known for its decades-long influence and authority within
the fashion world. Interestingly, Vogue was founded as a society tabloid written by the elite of New
York for the elite class. Using a feminist and deconstructive approach, this research investigates how
Vogue constructs ideas of femininity within these elitist realms using both textual content and fashion images. Firstly exploring this notion using theory, it becomes apparent that Vogue functions within the fashion language system as a textbook. It aims to explain and educate its readers on all that is trendy,
desirable and popular. The theory also reveals that it has underlying ideologies of how women should
behave, perform and dress. This has strong ties with the elitist social sphere and the expectations this brings forth. The theoretical framework ultimately presents three central research topics: fashion arenas, embodied femininity, and leisurely life.
A qualitative mixed method approach of discourse and semiotic analyses was taken amongst the sample of 16 US Vogue issues selected across seven decades. In total 162 fashion-related articles were taken from these issues, forming the research units. The process of coding and analysing the findings
presents four overarching themes: the fashion party, the fashion textbook, desirability & enchantment,
and the double/triple life. In short, these themes present that Vogue seems to function as a potential fashion party, driven by Vogue as its leader who sets ideologies on femininity. To share these
ideologies amongst its members/readers, it turns its issues into what Vogue calls fashion textbooks.
Using almost fantasy-like strategies, it evokes a strong sense of desirability for readers to become the ideal woman Vogue constructs. This ideal woman often lives a double or even triple life of being a kept, working and mothering woman. However, the notion of reader agency and reception might contest Vogue as all-powerful.
The findings show an evolving representation of womanhood. She develops from a traditional woman to a more assertive, sexual and working woman. How Vogue represents her is embedded in a sense of duality and controversy; it blends tradition, domesticity and reality with independence,
feminism and fantasy. The discussion does reveal that this reoccurring dualism could reflect Vogue balancing the so-desired woman between the ideal and the real. The essence remains that the so-
desired woman Vogue constructs should be the embodiment of a status symbol - she is portrayed as aligned with elite ideals. She is portrayed to do this with ease, grace, fashion and restraint. In
conclusion, this research reveals that Vogue functions as an educator and shaper of femininity. It
fosters and sustains classed ideologies and gendered hierarchies underlying the shifting trends, whilst
strategically allowing room for reader agency and interpretation. This broadens both the academic and societal conversation of fashion media, femininity and gendered hierarchies
Mental Health Influencers in the Age of TikTok: Investigating TikTok's Role in ADHD Literacy
No full textSince the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok has become a primary source for health information among young adults. Its highly engaging algorithm and short-form content have made it a popular platform for learning about various mental health issues. However, concerns have been raised about the mental health content shared on TikTok and its overall accuracy, particularly regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is often oversimplified and misrepresented. In this context, mental health influencers have emerged on TikTok in an attempt to increase the public understanding of disorders like ADHD. Given that the role of mental health influencers is significantly underexplored, this study aimed to investigate the extent to which the perceived credibility of mental health influencers on TikTok mediates the relationship between information-seeking motives and ADHD-related mental health literacy among young TikTok users. Drawing on the Uses and Gratifications theory, the Source Credibility Model, and the SoMeLit media literacy framework, a quantitative online survey was conducted among 155 participants aged 18-34, who had encountered ADHD-related content and engaged with mental health influencers on TikTok. A moderated mediation was employed to explore whether this relationship is moderated by informational and digital literacy. The findings revealed that, while information-seeking motives positively predicted the perceived trustworthiness of MHIs, this trust did not lead to higher ADHD literacy. Moreover, neither informational nor digital literacy significantly moderated this relationship, while the direct and indirect effects of information-seeking on ADHD literacy were not significant. These results suggest that although TikTok may encourage trust in mental health influencers, entertainment focus may limit deeper learning. The findings also highlight the complexity of evaluating mental health information in platforms that are algorithm-driven. Therefore, despite limitations, this study contributes to the growing literature on digital health communication and underscores the need for reliable, evidence-based content in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders
Nudged by Cravings: How Hyper-Personalized Recommendation Systems in Online Food Services Influence Choice Behavior
No full textEntrepreneurial Artistry: The Role of Personality, Learning Approach, and Technology Adoption in Shaping the Success of Independent Artists
No full textHow do individuals who identify as animal lovers justify their consumption of meat, and what cultural mechanisms contribute to their moral disengagement?
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Predicting the selling price of second-hand fashion items on Vinted with machine learning
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