Why does individualism require validity from a collective?

I was thinking about individualism recently and realized that what makes someone “individual” in society is someone who dresses and/or behaves differently than the social norm, therefore requiring a majority to validate that they are different. Doesn’t this contradict the entire philosophy of individualism? Wouldn’t individualism, in purity, be found in the men and women who dress or behave exactly like everyone else but are conscience of the fact that they are only dressed and/or behave that way because they choose to not because they are trying to “fit in” with the social norm? That way only they, the individual, are validating their individualism.

Your thoughts?