Scottish fashion influencers: Constructing a style identity on Instagram

Abstract

This article builds on existing theories of self-presentation and self-identity through a study into the behaviour of fashion influencers who position themselves as Scottish on Instagram. Fourteen interviews were carried out with Scottish fashion influencers who were asked to reflect on their online identity. The interaction between the offline and online self is explored, where national identity and a sense of place are recognized as important attributes of self-identity in an offline setting and participants were sampled on the basis that they were projecting this as a key component of their online self. All were found to be seeking to convey an ideal identity on Instagram; this involved curating particular aspects of their offline style and showcasing these online. The issue of authenticity was complex, and a spectrum of identity evolution on Instagram is observed and reflected on. The most career-minded participants tended to portray themselves in a more one-sided manner and were most strongly influenced by a sense of their audience. In contrast, the participants who were less career-minded tended to explore more freely with their online self and were influenced most strongly by internal factors.