This writing is in response to the episodes “What is Subculture” and “What is Class” from the podcast American Ivy, created and narrated by Avery Trufelman.
Answering the Episodes
So. What is subculture? What is class? And how do they interact? After listening to these episodes, it is best to paint a picture to explain subculture. Picture a pyramid. If ivy is at the top of this pyramid, then all the styles that have branched off of it would be considered subcultures. You can presume that fashion such as black ivy and preppy are subcultures of ivy. Although they do not match the bare style of it, they’re both heavily influenced. Subcultures are when one main idea is contorted to fit the ideals of another group. The creation of these subcultures is often shaped by class. Class can be defined as a grouping of people based on wealth and status. There seems to constantly be an ever-changing mindset of the elite when it comes to what subcultures they wish to adopt. They can be distinguished from one another through the cases of Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Carter entered office with the goal to relate to working-class citizens. To express this, he was often seen wearing clothes that anyone had access to buy. On the other hand, Ronald Reagan wore premium articles of clothing to ensure his status was known. His goal in office was to promote the possibilities of a lavish lifestyle through his capitalistic ideas. Many people saw how he looked and were convinced that with a less strict market, they could achieve the same status as him. He was able to lure citizens by blinding them with material fantasies.
Differing Similarities
Throughout this whole series, Trufelman is focused mainly on two places: The United States and Japan. Two countries on opposite sides of the world, with very different cultures, adopting the same style of fashion. When Kensuke Ishizu first tried to integrate ivy into Japan, the people saw it as a rebellious statement and dangerous. At the same time, the most brilliant minds in the U.S. at ivy league schools were sporting the same style. To see how differently people can interpret the same thing was eye-opening. Fast forward a few decades and ivy style is finally accepted in Japan as a well-respected type of clothing due to Ishizu showing how it was perceived in the states. A complete 180, proving that it isn’t the material or look that gives clothing significance, it’s what the look represents. What matters is the reasoning as to why someone chose to style themselves in some way. Clothing is a representation of how we feel, our goals, our passions, and our ideologies. Without the power we put behind clothing, there would be no trends.
Works Cited
Trufelman, Avery, narrator. “What is Subculture?” American Ivy, season 1, episode 4, articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-4
Trufelman, Avery, narrator. “What is Class?” American Ivy, season 1, episode 5, articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-5