Every year, Americans spend a large amount of money on clothing. Thousands of people fret over what they are going to wear, and many ads air on television with models fashioning the latest design. Even though some people believe that wearing brand-name clothing increases self-confidence, expensive clothing is not worth buying because brand-name clothing can be extremely costly and the process of putting together a costly wardrobe is very time-consuming.
Purchasing brand-name clothing can be extremely costly. Imagine this. There are two men named Luke and Gary who are looking for a navy blue dress shirt to wear to an event that they will be attending that evening. However, Luke went to TJ Max, and Gary went to Nordstrom. The shirts that they found were of a similar quality, however Luke saved much more money by going to TJ Max. Now why would someone pay that much money just to wear brand-name pieces? Also, because many brand-name companies don’t have clothes that will mix-and-match, with clothes from other companies, a person invested in brand-name clothing has to purchase more of those extremely expensive outfits. There are some people who believe that if they have the money to waste then why don’t they spend it on the brand-name clothing that they would like to wear. What these people don’t realize is that there are much better causes out there. While they are out there extravagantly spending their money, there are children in Africa who were born homeless and sick and need help.
Some may pose the argument that the wearing of expensive clothes increases a person’s self-esteem. Self-esteem is defined as a person's overall sense of self-worth or personal value. A person’s self-esteem should not be based on something as superficial as what he/she wears to school. A person may be able to purchase these expensive items now, but what happens if he/she no longer has the money to afford such items? Also, if people base their self-esteem on the clothes that they wear, then they will judge others on what they wear rather than their personal qualities and the content of their character. It is important for people to base their confidence on something less superficial than clothes. For example, a person could base their self-esteem on his/her education or his/her value to morals because those are things that will never be taken away from them. Ultimately, a person building self-esteem based on the clothes that he/she wears is not smart for that person.
People are often deceived by some famous brands, which they will buy as useless commodities to feel they are distinctive. People require brands to experience the feeling of being special. People spend their money to have something from famous brands, like a bag from Coach or Louis Vuitton which they think they need, yet all that is just people’s wants. Steve McKevitt claims that people give more thought on features or brands when they need to buy a product, “It might even be the case that you do need a phone to carry out your work and a car to get around in, but what brand it is and, to a large extent, what features it has are really just want” (McKevitt, 145), which that means people care about brands more than their needs. Having shoes from Louis Vuitton or shoes that cost $30 it is designed for the same use.
‘Your coat’s a little shabby, but who cares? It doesn’t keep people from asking you to dine. If I were shabby no one would have me: a woman is asked out as much for her clothes as for herself. The clothes are background, the frame, if you like: they don’t make success, but they are a part of it. Who wants a dingy woman? We are expected to be pretty and well-dressed till we drop – and if we can’t keep it up alone, we have to go into partnership.” (Wharton,
To conclude, the capability to create customized clothing is becoming undemanding as technology evolves. Ready made apparel was only available in predetermined sizes before the American Civil War, this exemplifies how the sizes were arbitrary and were not the same on a broad scale. The statement “The wealthy’s clothes were made by tailors” is a prime example of how tailored outfits are costly. Today, designers have computer-aided design to their disposal; this improved the creation of clothing in many ways, making it effortless to design the clothing and to also produce them. With the creation of new technology making clothes, fabrics will become easier.
Under the current capitalism society and material culture, people tend to form their identities through consumption, this means more than to consume products which are needed to survive, consumption can also link to self-identity formation and expression. People are imperceptibly influenced by the mass media that self-identity can be shaped and formed through consuming specific products. Therefore it can be said, fashion is an important element of identity formation. Young people are commonly feared of being seen as outdated and seek for acceptance from the peers and the society. According to Erikson’s theory of personal social and personal development adolescences and young adults see peers as a critical influence, acceptance of peers can lead to security of identity and self-esteem. This essay is going to examine how young people shape or form their identities through the consumption of fashion. Youths tend to shape their identity through different styles or ways of dressing, differentiate themselves from others and express their feeling or identity through fashion.
In society today, the clothing that someone wears is basically a billboard for his or her personal, or family's financial situation. For children in public schools, fitting in with the popular, or most fashionable people is probably the most important thing to them. When children are preoccupied wi...
Did you know that many penurious children and families suffer from many things that America takes for granted? “The Real Cost of Cheap Fashion,” by Laura Anastasia and “The Real Cost of Your Phone,” by Rebecca Zissou show many readers how terribly many people are affected by this, and what a hinderance it is on their lives, but also what can be done to fix it.
Luxury goods are not the necessities but are very much desirable to people which is supported by a share of money income. They are not easily available and affordable for everyone but due to the coming up of competition in market this has been changed. Nowadays, every individual wants to raise their self high and wants to be different from everyone. Since, the times have changed luxury goods have become more affordable for middle class consumers. Whenever we open our social media accounts such as Instagram, snapchats or news on internet or be it the reality shows, it is full of rich people showing off their dresses, bags, accessories etc. Such news put an impact on our inner thinking about our need to look and feel good through rich possessions. Several manufactured goods have become luxury goods as they are designer, durable and better quality. These goods are considered as luxury goods by the consumers because they play a role of status and class for those who showcase or owns them. These items are not necessarily better than less expensive substitutes are purchased with the main purpose of showcasing their wealth. These kinds of goods are object of socio-economic phenomenon which includes watches, jewelleries, designer clothes and accessories, large
Our people are too blind to realize what fashion can do to a person. Sure first impressions are influenced by appearances. It’s true indeed that the first trait when people see each other for the first time is what they are wearing. However where do we draw the line? People excessively attempt to imitate runway models or their favorite artists. Becoming too wrapped up following the newest trend or the hottest style this season. Men and women desperately try to mold themselves into fashions “ideal body.” Fashion is harmful to society; it promotes harmful lifestyle choices, can contribute to bullying and often causes debt problems to young woman.
It is necessary to identify fashion and explain the systems apparel industry uses before I start explore the essentiality of fast fashion. According to Dictionary.com, fashion is defined as the prevailing style or custom that is in a current mode and used to express oneself. It can be clothing, accessories, hair, etc. Why certain people like to frequently shop in malls and keep updating apparels in their closets every season? Form psychological perspective, people usually consider clothing as a symbol to show their values, personality and lifestyles to others. Critically, a rapid imaginative change and symbolic expression supports a sense people have about fashion. People believe that an ideal self-identity can be communicated to others through clothing, so figuring out how people make decision when they perceive clothing among different brands and understanding their needs and desires can help apparel industries expending and maintaining market s...
Ever since their invention many centuries ago, clothes have been used as a way of communicating. The message communicated relies on a number of factors including the social background of both the communicator and the receiver, and the context in which the message is communicated. Although at times the exact message or symbolism one is trying to portray may not be clear, it is evident that clothing has long been embraced as one of the best ways to project one’s desired personal image to those around them.
In this essay, I will compare people that are obsessed with physical appearance and appearances. It is not strange for individuals to worry about physical appearance. In fact, we could argue that we are living in a culture that weighs the most up-to-date trends or newest fashions more heavily than more pressing issues that affects society. As a result, many people become obsessed with their physical appearance in order to keep up with trends and fashions.
The act of consumption has been the primary means through which individuals in society participate and transform culture. Culture is not something already made which we consume; culture is what society creates through practices of everyday life and consumption involves the making of culture. When attempting to understand certain acts of consumption it is necessary to observe the relations involved in production and consumption. Through technological innovation, the fashion industry has been expanded to play a prominent role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and styles are becoming less difficult to obtain. With the expansion of department stores and shopping being viewed as a leisurely activity, this has continued to transform the act of fashion consumerism. The functional interests feature a rational attachment to clothing items. Symbolic benefits involve status and prestige to fulfill the achievement for positive self-esteem. Further benefits include a provided experience for the individual consumer and the created use of imagery and desire used to enrich one’s life.
... show off one’s wealth, such as through expensive hair highlights, jewelry, or manicures. Students will also inevitably talk about their families, vacations, and hobbies. Finally, students will be wearing normal clothing at social events outside of school, which can establish social hierarchies based on clothing, if these hierarchies exist.
Many people think fashion is just all about design or the clothing that you wear. In fact, the definition is “a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a particular group of people” (Fashion). Well personally, I think that have got it wrong, and there are many more things about fashion that people do not realize. Consumerism and consumption play a huge role on what fashion is today and what goes into it, and not just about design or designers, but also socially and environmentally. Consumerism and consumption impact the social and environmental aspect of the fashion industry because of what people buy, why they buy things, what type of things they look for in terms of quality or brand, and also where they go to shop.
Clothing is something that defines a person, and allows society to have an outlook on an individual’s lifestyle and beliefs. Unlike criticizing other material things like a car, a home or even something as simple as a television set, criticism of clothing is very personal. This suggests that there is a high correlation between clothing and personal identity and values. (Breward, pg.1) Clothing in a sense has the ability to communicate thought. However, similarly to art interpretations, this does not mean that any two people will perceive these visual aesthetics similarly.