In many societies, fashion serves as a medium of self-expression and a site of social regulation, where sartorial decisions can expose consumers to social censure and physical risk. Consequently, consumers must navigate the tension between adhering to local norms and participating in global fashion cultures. This study draws on impression management theory to examine how young consumers in a socially restrictive society use fashion as a means of identity expression while mitigating potential social risks. It uses data from in-depth interviews ( n = 40) and open-ended surveys ( n = 150) with consumers aged 18 to 35 years, analysed using an abductive thematic approach. We conceptualise consumer bricolage as the creative and strategic recombination of available cultural and material resources to manage impressions and negotiate identity. The analysis identifies five bricolage practices: ideational bricolage, accessorising, customisation, hybrid styling and assembling. The findings also highlight antecedents, such as cultural and religious identity, fashion innovativeness and identity distinctiveness, which help explain why young consumers engage in bricolage in restrictive settings. This study contributes to impression management theory by theorising fashion consumption as adaptive agency within constraining sociocultural environments and refines the concept of bricolage by specifying practice-level mechanisms of identity work.
Abid et al. (2026) studied this question.