The Internet, along with the various advancements in technology that have paralleled with its growth, assimilated into the lives of people around the world as each user found their own uses and gratifications for it. Social networking sites have provided Internet users with a space to demonstrate their identities through the showcase of their talents, interests, and opinions. One of the social media sites, Instagram, fosters a space where both fashion vanguards and fashion enthusiasts utilize the visual platform for very different purposes that are meaningful and make an impact dependent upon the role they play on the social networking site. For fashion vanguards, they emphasizes their role as influencers on Instagram by generating a following
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Aaron pointed out something interesting in that “Instagram is like the perfect time killer on my Bart ride to work. I stay up to date on new releases from my favorite brands and new products in design and tech.” Rather than fulfilling job responsibilities like Will or a upholding the reputation as an influencer and a source of inspiration like Joanie, Instagram is a place for pure leisure and exploration for Aaron, and moreover for users who are a part of a larger, created community, interacting with the influencers. His experience with Instagram aligns with notion Wessels provides that the “Internet is embedded in every day life as almost all users web surf and shop on-line” (Understanding the Internet, 129). For Aaron, the users he follows serve as information sources of what products are releasing in the tech, design, and fashion space and Instagram provides him with a direct way of communication with those sources that other platforms don’t offer. From these posts, he can shop more efficiently and not waste time in stores deciding on what products to buy. Aaron referred to it as being "amazing how I can interact with some of my favorite shop owners and develop that personal connection that you could only get in person. I talked to the owner of a store in Japan on Instagram and he gave me his contact information and followed – that right …show more content…
For fashion vanguards, they emphasizes their role as influencers on Instagram by generating a following and leading these networked communities built on the premise of offering more effective and personal ways to market and advertise new products, provide fashion consulting, and relay relevant information in the industry. For fashion enthusiasts, Instagram provides a space to explore and actively engage with their interests by following influencers and interacting with them. The role of Instagram, and social networking sites in general, has different impacts upon individuals, based on whether you are an influencer generating and distributing content over the platform to your assembled following or an enthusiast who follows certain user as sources for
Aaron pointed out something interesting in that “Instagram is like the perfect time killer on my Bart ride to work. I stay up to date on new releases from my favorite brands and new products in design and tech.” Rather than fulfilling job responsibilities like Will or a upholding the reputation as an influencer and a source of inspiration like Joanie, Instagram is a place for pure leisure and exploration for Aaron, and moreover for users who are a part of a larger, created community, interacting with the influencers. His experience with Instagram aligns with notion Wessels provides that the “Internet is embedded in every day life as almost all users web surf and shop on-line” (Understanding the Internet, 129). For Aaron, the users he follows serve as information sources of what products are releasing in the tech, design, and fashion space and Instagram provides him with a direct way of communication with those sources that other platforms don’t offer. From these posts, he can shop more efficiently and not waste time in stores deciding on what products to buy. Aaron referred to it as being "amazing how I can interact with some of my favorite shop owners and develop that personal connection that you could only get in person. I talked to the owner of a store in Japan on Instagram and he gave me his contact information and followed – that right …show more content…
For fashion vanguards, they emphasizes their role as influencers on Instagram by generating a following and leading these networked communities built on the premise of offering more effective and personal ways to market and advertise new products, provide fashion consulting, and relay relevant information in the industry. For fashion enthusiasts, Instagram provides a space to explore and actively engage with their interests by following influencers and interacting with them. The role of Instagram, and social networking sites in general, has different impacts upon individuals, based on whether you are an influencer generating and distributing content over the platform to your assembled following or an enthusiast who follows certain user as sources for