Fashion Today

Fashion is a symbol of class, but also of expressing one’s uniqueness.  Individuals use fashion to impose themselves and as a way of exerting their power over others. Though fashion can be considered as a cycle, it can also be considered a never-ending trend; which evolves and leaves some in and some out … most are out.

While fashion trends represent an individual’s personality, they can also make an individual part of a social group which he or she might or might not belong to. It is unusual for those at the bottom to set fashion trends … they do not have the means to do so. When those at the bottom have obtained the new fall/winter outfit, fashion designers have already come out with the spring outfit. Those at the top–usually celebrities–are the fashion ‘setters,’ those who have the means to constantly change their clothing styles.

Moreover, while the bottom classes can get away with keeping their fashion style those at the top can’t. They have to separate themselves from the lower classes; they have an image to take care of; and fashion is something that must be change on a daily basis because “one day you are in and one day you are out.”

***Previously Published on my first blog

The OverConsumption of Over Consuming

What is it about fashion trends that drive us to shop with out even considering how much we spend? We are all guilty of over shopping. I am not just talking about clothing trends but also about technological trends. We all have the latest jacket, shirt, jeans or pants hanging in our closets. Jogger pants are so popular almost every one has one—at least I do. But we also have the latest technological gadgets–iPhone 6 or 6 plus, Samsung Galaxy S5, MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface, and or the 50 inch plasma.

Over consumption comes from our consumption of media. As we drive down the street it is inevitable not to come across an American Eagle, H&M, or Forever21, Best Buy, Apple, Samsung or any other billboards that promote or persuade us to buy any of the items that this brands promote.

Fashion is a cycle! What was in 10 years ago might be the trend this spring season. And what is it that we deem essential to our survival in a society were we are constantly judged by how we look, talk, wear, walk, sit, or eat?

However, as sociologist Thorstein Veblen social theory of conspicuous consumption suggests, [we] shop to show our social status and place us on the map. We certainly want to have the latest iPhone, iPad, Mac, Galaxy S5, and the upcoming iWatch to demonstrate that we are not so far behind from the “upper class.” We must show our status everywhere we go, just like the leisure class Veblen talks about would in the Victorian era, by “overdressing” and having exuberant hairstyles. However, in this day and age, we show our status by having the phone with the largest screen, but not just any phone, it has to be either apple or Samsung.

And even though we say that how we look or dress does not matter. We are lying to ourselves. How we look and what we wear does matter; it matters to everyone.

Bibliography:

“IPhone 6.” Apple. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.

Google Images

“Microsoft Surface Tablets.” Microsoft Surface. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.

“My Life Powered by Galaxy S5.” Samsung GALAXY S5. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.

Veblen, Thorstein. The Theory of the Leisure Class. Amherst, NY: Prometheus, 1998. Print.