When I was growing up, my father wore a leather or suede kippah. My brothers and I all wore velvet ones. When I got older, and was able to buy them for myself, I started wearing plain black knit kippot, as I found them more comfortable than the velvet ones.
My wife told me she liked the ones with the designs, and asked if I could wear them, as she just preferred them. To make my wife happy, I now wear a kippah srugah with a pattern. The exception is for the Yomim Noraim, I have a plain white knit kippah.
So I don’t do it to identify with a group. I do it out of comfort and to make my wife happy.