Societal Changes and Transformation of Military Inspired Fashion

Abstract Book of the 3rd International Social Sciences and Humanities Conference

Year: 2026

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Societal Changes and Transformation of Military Inspired Fashion

Dr. Gamze Tetik, Hatice Özer, M. Kubilay Akman

ABSTRACT:

Military inspired fashion refers to a multi-dimensional cultural process involving change and transformation, arising from the transfer of the historical, symbolic and social meanings of military uniforms into the realm of civilian fashion. Historically, it’s evident that during and after industrialization, people’s clothing preferences reflected fundamental cultural values within their societies. Military fashion trend can be observed internationally and also in Türkiye. How did clothing reflecting military style become an almost constant part of popular culture for so many people? How have these styles acquired different social meanings within popular culture? In the postmodern world, is this style of clothing an indicator of individuality or collectivism? Military inspired fashion, which has spread from the idealized concept of masculinity to women’s fashion products, has created a visible space where gender boundaries are renegotiated. Today, military inspired fashion products appear as items whose military origins have been forgotten. This study will examine written materials containing information in the field to reveal the historical, symbolic, and social meanings of clothing containing military symbols, their reflections in daily life, and the process by which they become popular fashion trends. Furthermore, the concept of a “nation-army,” an influential element in the history of Turkish civilization, is reflected in contemporary social structures in everyday life practices, particularly in the form of military clothing fashion. In Türkiye, it can be said that military clothing fashion has become an influential phenomenon in daily life. This phenomenon is an element of contemporary fashion. Military clothing fashion, influenced by the development and spread of communication and production technologies, as well as popular culture, has become a part of an individual’s identity presentation in social life. Our paper will analyze all these issues from the perspectives of sociology of culture, communication and fashion studies.

Keywords: Biopolitics; Communication; Fashion Studies; Military Studies; Sociology of Culture