The thesis explores the concept of status, status symbols, and their consumption. It describes the model of cultural meaning transfer from the world to the good, and then from the good to the individual. When discussing the individual aspect of identity, it is worth defining the self-concept and its negative aspect, or the negative self. The group aspect of identity is also important, as the audience plays a strong role in communicating the symbolic values of the good. Through the consumer behavior model, it is possible to observe the relationship between the consumption of goods as symbols and the self. The thesis presents a historical overview of high heels and their placement in the ideal of beauty and fashion in the 20th and 21st centuries. Shoes or high heels represent an important good for women's identity, which is also shown through the concept of the pink-collar. Despite evidence of the harmful effects of high heels on health, women still frequently wear them, which raises the question of whether they are truly aware of their negative effects. The main goal of the qualitative research is to determine the role of adopting high heels as a determinant of the self and identity in the users' attitudes towards high heels. Through qualitative interviews with five women, I found that high heels serve as a significant symbol of femininity, status, and elegance. Women's self-identity remains deeply intertwined with the symbolic meaning of the high heel.
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