Arts-informed interpretative phenomenological analysis: understanding olders men's experiences of ageing through the lens of fashion and clothing

The aim of this research was to investigate the possibility of adopting the lens of fashion and clothing in order to explore the older men’s experience of ageing. In this vein, as a creative practitioner, I sought to explore the vantage point and the relationship between fashion and clothing, embodiment and the physical and social processes of growing older in relation to individuals' experiences. A multi-disciplinary literature review revealed that fashion and clothing is a significant, yet often overlooked, element of individuals' experiences of ageing. Furthermore, this contextual review exposed an array of various influential stereotypes especially in regards to gender and ageing. Notably, the topic of older men and fashion seems to intersect two stereotypical assumptions; firstly, that fashion is a sphere exclusively reserved for women; and, secondly, that individuals' interest and engagement with fashion ceases significantly as they grow older. As a consequence, the majority of the existing studies investigating this phenomenon tend to focus on older women, their experiences and expectations towards clothing. While there is no doubt that such scholarship is valuable, such an imbalance needs to be addressed. Via this thesis I aim to contribute to the fulfillment of this identified gap in knowledge. In this research, I have developed a novel hybrid methodology, Arts-Informed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Rooted in phenomenology and arts, this methodology put to the test the concept of 'making' as a valid way of data analysis, equal to writing. My research process built on the concept of the hermeneutic circle; the subsequent activities of writing and making allowed me to constantly move between different elements of the participants' experiences, which in turn facilitated the conditions for more in-depth and holistic understanding and enhanced interpretations. In addition, such an approach gave me the opportunity to utilise my skills and sensibilities as an artist and designer and to blur the boundaries between the artificially disconnected domains of fashion research and practice. This research found that ageing, fashion, clothing, men and masculinities are not disjointed. Fashion and clothing was not only revealed as a valid and useful lens through which individuals' experiences of ageing can be analysed and interpreted but also the experiences of men in this study proved to be rich and meaningful. This research culminated in a unified body of work that has relevance to the fields of psychology, sociology, as well as art and design. A composition of the research outcomes consisted of a series of suit jackets, short films and written accounts offering novel insights into a particular sample of men's individual and shared experiences of ageing. In addition, such a multi-layered composition of research outcomes has the potential to reach audiences beyond academia. Contributions to knowledge are claimed in the three following areas: . The novelty of the topic of investigation into mature men's experiences of ageing through the lens of fashion and clothing; . The uniqueness of the developed hybrid methodology, Arts-Informed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis; . The originality of the outcomes arising from this investigation