Image 1 of 3
Image 2 of 3
Image 3 of 3
Outfit Review
Source: Screenshot of video on TikTok
User: Kristen V Bateman (@kristenvbateman)
Post on virtual platform of user making remarks on Kylie Jenner’s post, where Kylie is promoting the bagmaker while displaying her outfit.
One figure stands tall. Her presentation is strong and defined. She is a seasoned ‘influencer’--Kylie Jenner. American beauty mogul, social media personality is the definition of a “nepo-baby,” coming from wealth, privilege, and status. She has been on television since the age of 10, and has since strived for wealth and fame. Being in the public eye, and of influential status, she has often been criticized for her denial of bodily augmentation, as this mislead viewers and followers to believe products made by her company could achieve similar results. Her exhibition in excess has influenced a generation of young girls.
Here, she shows her new purse and mentions the name of the maker. It is a generous gesture, as her approval can compel her audience to support a small business and artist. The user makes a simple post of her outfit and showcases the bag.
Later, another character enters the story...a fashion commentator on the same platform, sees this moment as an opportunity to comment on how the bag ‘elevates the outfit’ as seen on Kylie. As a feature of the platform, the user can become a “floating head” and superimpose themselves on an existing video or image. This feature is often used to make a comment about the corresponding video or image. So, here Kristen Bateman is making a comment on Kylie’s outfit, focusing on this purse. Both videos will receive more circulation by duplicating and referencing each other, and hopefully, more purses will be sold.
“Get That Bag”
The purse, as an object, is functional. It holds our things that we need. It is an extension of our body, literally as it is attached to us as a functional tool of daily use. Purses, have been an object of desire for thousands of years, and have evolved in material, style, and function, reflecting fashion trends and social norms. In pop culture and media, the display of purses and their value is prevalent in relation to celebrity and wealth status signaling. They are highly valued objects that add to the silhouette of an outfit and can define who the wearer is, or at least who they are trying to be.
I am interested in the abstract shape of purses and how we apply that shape so happily to our body. The shape extends past our natural lines and changes the way we are perceived.