ABSTRACT
Despite the increasing popularity of performativity as theory and concept, and indeed the profusion of its uses, its definitions are often diffuse and its application to questions of masculinity, particularly outside cultural studies or queer politics, is often distinctly scarce. The purpose of this chapter is threefold: first, to attempt to document, delineate and define performativity theory and to open it up to sociological critique; second, to consider its applications to questions of masculinity; and third, more particularly, to provide a critique of performativity theory through a study of men’s fashion. In this last instance, it is my assertion that if performativity theory is ineffective in relation to the world of fashion, which is often perceived as artificial and free-floating, if not necessarily superficial and postmodern, then it won’t work anywhere and its application to questions of masculinity, and indeed gender identity more widely, is decidedly limited. As a result of these three intentions there are three sections: first, a discussion of performativity theory per se, its definitions, applications and critique; secondly, a consideration of performativity theory in relation to questions of masculinity; and thirdly, an analysis of men’s fashion that attempts to evaluate, and perhaps synthesise, performativity theory more widely in the light of an empirically as well as theoretically informed study.
