1 Look at the photo and read the essay. Choose the best title.
a How much does fashion influence the lives of teenagers today?
b Are teenagers too dependent on fashion?
These days fashion is an integral part of teenagers' lives. Lots of clothes shops come
out every week with new clothing items designed for them and the younger generations
(among them the Millennials and Gen Z) that are willing to follow the latest fashionable
trends by purchasing clothes and accessories. Teenagers are indeed very concerned about
their looks and sometimes they even obsess with brands and with a certain image they
want to promote about themselves. But is it a good thing that fashion means so much to
them nowadays? In my opinion, this has both its pros and cons.
Firstly, fashion is a very good way for teenagers to express themselves, to get
themselves noticed and make friends. What's more, fashion helps teenagers find out
who they are and feel more confident about who they are and what they like. In this
regard, celebrities have a big impact on teenage fashion. Teenagers choose their role
models among music artists and actors via social media and fashion shows, and that
helps them find inspiration and maybe create their own style. Who hasn't hoped they
would have the looks of their favourite superstar or even be famous one day? However,
not all of the teenagers know how to choose those models. Personally, I think some of
them are a bad influence through vulgarity and too much skin showed on stage.
On the other hand, fashion can easily become an addiction when it turns out to be
more than a way to look nice and attractive to others. Many teenagers have involved
themselves so much with fashion that they don't have time for anything else. Looking
trendy and cool among people of their age is their main purpose, so they spend most o
their time reading fashion magazines, watching shows and shopping. They wear certain
brands because they feel that if they didn't, they wouldn't be worthy enough.
Just because other teenagers have the latest brand and you don't, doesn't mean you
aren't special!
To sum up, I believe using fashion as a tool to express yourself, look nice, confiden
and attractive to others is fine, whereas being a brand addict to please others,
pretending to be someone else just to fit in is wrong.