Class, Consumption, and Appearance in College Sorority Life

• In Event: 082 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session I
  In Refereed Roundtable: A. Table 17. Identity

Abstract

This paper looks at how sorority membership affects and influences how women present themselves physically and relate to contemporary standards of attractiveness. By focusing on women’s experiences of belonging in a sorority, this work establishes a connection between sorority membership, appearance, belonging, and material consumption. Through an analysis of how membership in a sorority both in general and as a member of a particular sorority chapter impacts and shapes appearance practices, I evaluate the connection between appearance and organizational identity. The performance of appearance and identity in sorority members is linked, and this study analyzes the intricacies of that link with a ground level focus that incorporates appearance, organizational identity and performance. The study examines how chosen appearance and self-presentation result from participation in a certain organization, in this case, Panhellenic sororities, and how appearance standards are used to demonstrate belonging in the organization. For sorority women, the interplay between belonging and appearance exists along several dimensions. Crucial among those are self-presentation as a potential member of a sorority and also as a full member of a chapter. The interplay between, appearance and consumption ability is also a central determinant of belonging for sorority women.

Author

• Kathleen Ellen Krueger, Anne Arundel Community College