Why do teens care so much about clothes? Teens’ lives are very similar to each other, even similar to younger children. We all go to similar schools and colleges and get jobs that are not that different from one another. When teens go to school with hundreds or even thousands of other students, they are equipped with similar education, resources, and opportunities, yet are expected to be unique when they are only given a few opportunities to stand out. While our culture praises individuality, I wouldn’t be surprised if many teens struggle with finding their sense of individuality. That is why the brand of sneakers we wear or the cost of our jeans is so significant. Furthermore, the type of music we listen to, the people we hang out with, even our jokes and vocabulary matter so much! These factors help us find those we identify with, as research shows that teens with name brand items are considered to be part of the “popular” crowd. The problem with this concept is that everyone has to compete by spending money to climb up in status.
Asking your parents to bring you to the mall every weekend may seem like the only solution, but there are other ways to define yourself, such as pursuing activities or interests that you’re passionate about! Here are five factors that affect teenage fashion, and five ways you can positively express yourself and increase your self-esteem!
1. Peer Pressure: Why do teens often go shopping with their friends and buy similar products? Because looking like everyone else will give you a sense of belonging to a peer group or a sense of affirmation or worth.
Pro Tip #1: Surround yourself with friends that share common goals and that have a good influence on you. Seek out friends that do not care about your appearance and accept you for who you are.
2. Body Image: While body image mainly affects teenage girls, any teen can be affected by negative views of their body image when comparing themselves to others. Unfortunately, this has led to many unhealthy lifestyle changes such as eating disorders.
Pro Tip #2: Develop and practice self-love. Start by writing a list of the things you love about yourself, which don’t have to be physical attributes but could be aspects of your personality or your academic/extracurricular successes!
3. Media and Magazines: Teens having access to the internet allows them to evaluate trends so they know what to buy and what not to buy. Many magazines target young girls by featuring models that set unrealistic expectations for the rest of us.
Pro Tip #3: Be cautious when using social media and instead of using it to figure out the most current trends, look up daily inspirational quotes or comment on others’ posts to provide encouragement!
4. Celebrities: Once a celebrity endorses a particular brand of clothing, it is accepted in society. Not only celebrity style, but also their opinions, thoughts, and associations have a major effect on their fans.
Pro Tip #4: Don’t idolize celebrities, as it can make you feel less worthy. Use your time to volunteer at a hospital or animal shelter, become a tutor, or lead a sports team at school! These types of activities will positively impact your community, as well as give you a sense of self-satisfaction through helping others.
5. Designer Brands: When teens go shopping, they are immediately attracted to stores with the right brands. That leads to some becoming stressed when they see others with a certain brand of clothing or shoes but cannot afford it themselves. This is because brand names are associated with social acceptance and being cool.
Pro Tip #5: Set your priorities straight. Is clothing the most important aspect of your life? Figure out what you value most by trying new things, spending more time with your family and friends, and living a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
- By Caryn Hong, Project Inspire Content Creator Lead
