Distance and Alternative Signals of Status: A Unifying Framework.

This article focuses on the emergence and categorization of alternative signals of social status as traditional luxury goods and conspicuous consumption have become mainstream and less effective for distinction. Using the grounded theory method, it proposes a unifying framework that organizes these alternative status signals along six dimensions of distance from traditional status symbols: time (new vs. old), quantity (many vs. few possessions), conspicuousness (conspicuous vs. inconspicuous), aesthetics (beautiful vs. ugly), culture (highbrow vs. lowbrow), and pace of life (slow vs. fast). Each dimension is illustrated with market manifestations—such as vintage for time, voluntary simplicity for quantity, inconspicuous consumption for conspicuousness, ugly luxury for aesthetics, cultural omnivorousness for culture, and busyness at work for pace of life—and is analyzed in terms of its distinction benefits, associated costs, and individual differences among consumers. The framework advances understanding of how status signaling evolves in contemporary markets and suggests avenues for future research on the dynamics and interactions of these alternative signals.