"Fashion is Capitalism's Best Friend"

According to Yuniya Kawamura in "Fashion-ology," "...fashion is the result of a conspiracy on the part of makers of clothes to make us spend more money...who impose new fashions in order to stimulate the market and increase their trade" (Kawamura 5), which is why the style of clothes we wear changes every season. Even now, designers are running out of ideas and are recycling styles from the past such as bring back the 80's clothing styles such as leggings, blazers, and flamboyant colors of neon pink, green, and green. We brought back certain articles of clothing as indicated by the pictures below.

(then)


(now)

We're even bring back the MC Hammer pants, aka harem pants.


With constant change in popular styles of clothing, people are always spending money trying to be part of the in crowd as schools especially high school students when identity is the most important concept to them. That is why majority of the clothing industry target teenagers because they know that teenagers among different age groups are the ones who cares most about their looks, thus, providing the industry with constant revenue as fashion styles change. It is true that "people's attitudes to dress have always been ambivalent," (Kawamura 5) which is exactly why the changes in trends are dictated by the clothing industry and in turn our peers who chooses what's in and what's out.

I, myself was one of those teenagers, especially when I transferred to a new school and had to fit in. Even now, I am addicted to shopping and will admit that the Compact Challenge will be a challenge for me but I will try my best not to buy anything that is not food, soap, underwear, and socks. I have never encounter an assignment such as this. Hopefully, this challenge will help me save money because I never had the habit of doing so. Shopping makes me happy for some reason, just spending money in general makes me happy and it does not matter what or who I spend my money on. I know, I know, I'm a shopaholic, unfortunately. I will do my best to not by any clothes...and makeup. Already this weekend I resisted the temptation of buying makeup at the mall, I was just accompanying my boyfriend. I did not buy anything, I swear!!

<3 Annie Tan

Kawamura, Yuniya. Fashion-ology: An Introduction to Fashion Studies. New York: Berg, 2005.
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