Style and Self-Expression: How Teenage Girls in Shanghai Communicate Their Personalities, Beliefs and Emotions Through Clothing and Social Media?

Abstract

This study examines how teenage girls in Shanghai utilize clothing to convey their personalities, beliefs, and emotions, both in offline interactions and on social media. Through semi-structured interviews with four adolescents, combined with an examination of their Xiaohongshu and WeChat representations, the research illustrates how clothing serves as a communicative resource for negotiating individuality, group belonging, and cultural identity. The participants displayed diverse styles-ranging from gothic resistance to vintage sustainability, situational adaptation, and comfort-oriented minimalism-each reflecting their self-concept and value orientation. Shopping practices further revealed tensions between ethical commitments and the convenience of fast fashion, showing that adolescents make choices influenced by affordability, accessibility, and sustainability awareness. Psychological experiences were central, as clothing not only enhanced confidence and self-expression but also exposed participants to cultural norms and gendered expectations. Social media emerged as a double-edged tool: while it facilitated inspiration and identity exploration, adolescents resisted passive imitation of influencers, curating instead their own digital personas. Overall, the findings highlight the complex interplay between global fashion trends, local cultural pressures, social media dynamics, and the formation of adolescent identity in Shanghai. This research fills a gap by focusing on a specific group—Shanghai teenage girls—offering nuanced insight into their unique fashion practices.