Linking Dress and the Public, Private and Secret Self model to coming out

In: Critical Studies in Men's Fashion, Band 3, Heft 1, S. 7-15

Abstract

Abstract
This theoretical article examines how dress and the Public, Private and Secret Self (PPSS) model is linked to the coming-out models of LGBTI individuals, specifically gay men. The PPSS model is a taxonomy for categorizing dress based on social situation (reality, fun/leisure, fantasy) and the level of self-expression (public, private, secret). Coming-out models are developmental stages of expressing one's sexual orientation, otherwise known as 'coming out of the closet'. By examining existing academic literature on gay men and comparing coming-out models with the PPSS model, we posit two directions that link the two models.