Fashion is one of the ways to express yourself and exhibit to the world more about who you are. We all agree that the fashion industry has become very popular and influential, but how does it affect our society? This Fashionhance write-up will talk more about the impact of fashion on society.
So Much For Fashion!
Victorian women would cover themselves in wet muslin cloth, so that their dress would fit them perfectly. Due to this practice, many women would often fall sick, and some used to die.
We are constantly surrounded by fashion, it has become an everyday kind of thing you need to deal with. Fashion is a term that applies to clothing, accessories, hairstyle, footwear, body piercings, and furniture. The concept of fashion is not new to mankind, it is just that the definition of fashion has changed and more evolved. During the Egyptian era, both men and women used to line their eyes with Kohl for various reasons. But it was a trend back then and followed by everybody.
Fashion is like a wind and is changing rapidly. From school-going kids to working professionals, everybody wants to look their best. Fashion is promoted mostly by TV advertisements and celebrities. Many people define their fashion statement as comfort. They wear whatever they feel comfortable in. Of course you need to consider the occasion too. You can’t wear a jogging suit and go for a wedding, similarly you won’t wear a skirt to go for jogging. If we are living in a society, then it is not a bad thing to follow fashion trends, but it should be done in a limit.
Positive Impact of Fashion
► Fashion has become one common language for people all over the world. Our world is enormous, an integration of various cultures. Fashion helps to connect people internationally, because it travels from one city to another.
► Designers are able to produce and set new trends for people who are enthusiastic and ready to experiment with their look. This gives designers a satisfaction when they see their designs in the market, starting a trend among the people.
► The fashion industry is very competitive and there are many designers who offer the same thing like the others. It is always refreshing to see a new designer exhibit new and unique designs. It gives young and aspiring fashion designers a platform to exhibit their talent.
► Sometimes, fashion can be an inspiration for many to discover their hidden potential, it persuades individuals to attend fashion schools and make something out of their career, if they have an inclination towards this field. Fashion inspires you to expand your knowledge and creativity to turn your hobby into a career.
► One of the first things which people notice is your appearance. The way you dress up speaks a lot about you, fashion is one of the means through which you express yourself. Fashion gives you the liberty to mix and match clothes according to your mood, liking, and attitude.
► We all are attracted to people who dress up smartly and have a knowledge about the current trends. People dress up to attract the opposite sex and get noticed by someone they adore. Additionally, people also get acknowledged and stand out amongst the crowd largely due to what they wear and how they look. Those shabbily dressed or the ones lacking a sense of fashion are not very well taken, as compared to those who groom themselves well.
► Fashion is never ending, trends come and go. In fact, trends are inspired by designers, ideas of creating something new and different can come from anywhere. Take the example of the Little Black Dress, this trend never goes out. Almost every woman has a little black dress in her wardrobe purchased for that perfect evening.
► When you think about fashion, it’s not always about dressing up. Fashion opens numerous opportunities for you. You can choose to stay behind the camera and work on styling and if you prefer to be in front of the camera, you can venture fields like modeling and acting. Possibilities are endless, so one good thing about fashion is that it offers employment opportunities to those who dream about being a part of this industry.
► Additionally, following your own fashion statement makes you a more independent thinker. If you think you have the ability to carry the attire, then it fills you up with a great deal of confidence.
► It is like a magical fix for numerous issues like handling bullies and making new friends. Research claims that people who are always dressed up smartly are hardly harassed by bullies, because they feel that anybody with a high fashion sense may retaliate and can be a great threat for them.
► Fashion also helps you to make new friends easily. If you share the same interest like other people, then connecting with them won’t be difficult. You will have a common thing to base your discussions on.
► Teens get to create their own identity by following a certain trend which they like, thus they are not associated and tagged just like others. Having an impeccable and great fashion sense will easily get them a job in fashion land.
Negative Impact of Fashion
► One of the biggest drawbacks fashion has on our society is constant change. We all are aware that it changes constantly. With new year come new trends which if we don’t adopt, we are sure to be scrutinized by the fashion police in our neighborhood or school. For many fast-paced changes in fashion, it encourages people to buy clothes or other things unnecessarily. Which means splurging on things which won’t stay for long.
► Every new fashion trend is promoted in such a way that it becomes difficult for any teen or student to simply ignore it. Many fashion companies endorse celebrities to advertise for their clothing line, which results in many people buying that product. Why? Because their favorite celebrity has promoted it. They don’t care if it is right or wrong to buy it.
► The term ‘fashionsta’ sounds classy and glamorous but refers to somebody who follows fashion blindly. They want to wear it because that is the trend, they don’t care about whether it suits them or not, or if they are comfortable in it or not.
► A lot of money is wasted in buying new clothes, it indirectly promotes capitalism in society. People end up buying new clothes, when they already have old ones which they might not have worn even once. They discard old clothes to make space for new fashion trends in their wardrobe.
►“If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shabby furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shabby philosophies… It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it.” A very famous quote by Albert Einstein, he was always seen in old and worn out clothes. Clothes have the power to project us in a negative or a positive way, sometimes people judge others wrong because of the clothes worn by them.
► There is a difference between fad and style. Fad fashion trends are short-lived, they come and go within months. These are known as fads of fashion, true fashion means style. People who are ignorant about this fact follow fads of fashion rather than focusing on creating their own style.
► Stealing, robbing, and blackmailing are common ways for the youth to become fashionable. They are so attracted and addicted to fashion that they are ready to go to any length to get the look they desire. Teens have become so rebellious that they even wear things which look hideous on them.
► Apart from clothes, there are certain trends detrimental to our health. These include tattoos, body piercings, plastic surgeries, etc. Teens have become extremists, one of the negative impacts of fashion is teenagers piercing various body parts. People are ready to pierce their belly button, tongue, forehead, lips all in the name of fashion.
► The environment and upbringing also has a lot to do with how an individual gets influenced by fashion around him/her. Teens staying in the rural areas will throw on an attire completely different from a teen staying in a city.
► Many times, teens or students opt for clothes due to peer pressure, they want to blend in the crowd. This fear of being left out in the crowd has a negative impact on their mind, thus they go for such clothes.
► Nowadays, students focus more and more on fashion rather than focusing on their career. They want to know everything about fashion, but little about their school or college activities. This is one of the major negative impacts of fashion on students.
► Some girls try to look like models, so they compromise on their diet to become skinny. Also, people experimenting with their hair or skin often forget about the allergies or acne breakouts they need to face due to using such products. Being fashion-conscious can even make you anxious and depressed if you don’t feel you are dressed up to the mark.
► One of the major and worst impacts of fashion on our environment is the procedure and products used to manufacture these fashionable products. Often, animal fur is used in jackets and fur coats. Many birds are killed, and experiments are done on animals to check if the products would be allergic to humans.
On a concluding note, fashion won’t be harmful to our society if we learn to create a balance between our studies and interests. Everybody wants to look good, there is no harm in it, unless you become completely obsessed with it. Parents also need to keep an eye on their children’s activity, if they are studying or wasting their time grooming themselves. There is no harm in being fashionable, but don’t let it interfere with your lifestyle and career.