Class Imitation and Mobility

Author: Jordan Novak

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Faculty Mentors: Pierce Dignam

Easel: 84

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: This study examines how American workers, particularly Generation Z, navigate and perform social class through appearance, behavior, and communication, with a focus on the fashion industry. Drawing on ethnographic interviews with 20 employees across industries and age groups, including 3 Gen Z fashion workers, it explores class performance as both a survival strategy in an unequal labor market and a form of self-expression in the digital age. Key findings reveal diverse strategies for class signaling, from "dressing for success" to leveraging social media and tech literacy as modern forms of cultural capital. The study highlights a phenomenon of "class cosplay," where workers temporarily embody different social strata to navigate professional environments. This research sheds light on how fast fashion and social media have blurred and reinforced class boundaries, offering critical insights into social mobility, professionalism, and the role of technology in reshaping class dynamics in the 21st-century workplace.