The "Ivy" elements that have been elevated to a pedestal: Insights into identity and class transcendence behind the old money style's backs
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: As a fashion style, the old money style itself has a clear aristocratic class attribute, but with the re-division of social classes, class stratification tends to be obvious, the old money style is actually characterized by a dual quality of "distinguishing and blurring" among its followers. Therefore, this study focuses on the typical element of the old money style: "ivy", and aims to explore how ivy elements serve as cultural symbols of identity and class mobility, providing explicit identifiers for new and old class identities. Through the study of Bourdieu theory, leisure class theory, rites of passage theory analysis. The research results show that both the old and the new money classes have a belief in "noble spirit" and attach importance to "elite education institute and degree awarding ceremony", while the Ivy element is defined as the typical expression of cultural capital and a powerful visualize tool for realizing "identity" and "class transcendence" : As class travelers, the new money class has the shame of birth and the psychology of upward worship. They first accumulate the cultural capital of their descendants through economic capital, and then exchange the cultural capital with economic and social capital to integrate into the old money class. The offspring of the old money class have a youthful and energetic expression of fashion and life, and are more rebellious and eager to break away from the family and realize real personality independence and freedom. They are eager to exchange cultural capital for the rationalization of economic and social capital acquired by nature, and promote the aspirational class.
DOI: 10.54097/asxpxz71
Author: Haotong Jiang
Institution: Tianjin University of Finance and Economics
Language: English
Topic: Social and Cultural Dynamics
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408676421