Amanda Tepper
Sociology
Griswold
Fashion is a key element in the United States today. You may not realize
it but fashion is a social group in itself. We choose our friends based on how
they look and by looking a certain way means that they dress a certain way. Our
clothes are advertisements that link us to the media. When watching television
or browsing through the Internet, fashion ads and sites pop up almost every
time. The fashion industry is a multi billion-dollar industry. It targets middle class and upper class Americans The amount of
money that people spend on clothes just to fit in with certain trends and
certain groups of people is uncanny. According to a sociology website, “Fashion gives us social control. It determines our speech, opinion,
belief, recreation, dress, music, art, and literature” (Sociologyguide 1). Fashion
lets us have social control over our lives. It’s something that we choose and
that makes us happy. Every ten years fashion changes and trends and items are
always brought back. 
Ironically its not the fashion that
changes, it’s the style of the individuals that change. Fashion is and will
always be the same. Style is the way people wear "fashion". Fashion is clothes, accessories, and pretty much anything you wear. Today, the United States is seen as a fashion forward place. “Fashion
is a big part of modern day society, even more so then in pervious generations”
(Sociologyguide 3). On television we have all kinds of fashion shows like, What Not to Wear, Fashion Police, and Project Runway. These shows brain wash
us and tell us what clothes are acceptable to wear in today’s society. The show
Fashion Police starring Joan Rivers
makes fun of all the crazy trends and outfits people wear. Project Runway is a fashion contest. People have to create trends
and styles that will be become popular in the fashion market. However, we perceive
good fashion as having “class”. I know when I have been to New York City I
often dress myself up to look like I am from the Upper East side. Most people
will judge you based on the clothes you wear. In fact, some people buy only designer items
because they are so expensive and are considered a “social stauts”. Designer
clothes and accessories like Chanel can start at $500 and go as high as
$15,000. Our idea of having good style is being rich and
being rich is our idea of having class. Our view of class is immensely twisted.
Our idea of class has changed drastically from the 1980s fashion world to the
fashion world today. In the 1980s fashion
was their form of rebellion and expression. In our minds today, fashion is the
sole entity that separates the elite from the poor. Class means to have style,
value, and morals. Paradoxically, having good style does not mean you have
value or morals. You can be poor and have class as well. Fashion and class do
not correlate. It takes way more than good and expensive clothes to have class.
“Fashion
is a form of free speech. It not only embraces clothing, but also how jewelery,
hairstules, beauty and body art. What we wear and how and when we wear it,
provides other with a shorthand to subtly read the surface of a social
situation” (fashion-era). Fashion is a status symbol in all societies. Brands
are important. Popular brands of fashion are usually the most expensive. Most
of the time in New York City you will see women with designer bags and items
such as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Gucci, Hendri Bendel, Dolce &
Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Buberry, Coco Chanel and much much more. In the 1980s
designers such as Calvin Klien, Ralph Lauren, and Coco Chanel were popular. See
the similarity? The same designers are still popular today because they have
the best trends. In Result to having the same designers in the 80s and now is
the same styles and the same trends. It is said that specific trends will go out of style and then reemerge every ten to fifteen years. This is true. If you attended high school in the 1960s-1990s you are starting to see that the younger generations are wearing the same types of clothes and styles. Each year styles do return but however they are not always the same. Each year, every new trend brings something new to the table. It adds on to the trend and modernizes it. For example, corduroy skinny jeans were very popular in the 70s and 80s. They just recently became popular again but this time they are in purples, reds, greens, blues, oranges, and browns. Back then the two main colors worn were orange and brown. The 1960s-1970s was a time of rebellion. Girls started to wear jeans instead of skirts. Older generations thought that this was crazy and unacceptable. Those teenagers rebelled through not only music but fashion as well. Today teenagers use fashion as freedom of expression. We will wear skirts that say, “Vote for Obama”, “Legalize Weed”, “I Vote for Vodka”, and much more. Even thought they are just shirts the symbolization is much more. The shirts are a form of protest. People wear the shirts because they are for the message. They advertise their point of view when they wear the shirt in public.
A huge controversial issue in our
society today is; why can’t clothes be genderless? Society accepts everyone no
matter who they are or what they believe in, so why can’t the fashion world
accept people who want to wear the opposite sex clothes? It is alright for
girls to wear boy clothes but not boy to wear girls clothes. “The United States
makes clothes for women or men but never both. This also goes for children's
clothes. In stores today, there is always a women section and a men section”
(thesocietypages). This is a huge controversial issue in the fashion world. Our
society is very black and white. Men are supposed to wear pants that are not
tight and are a neutral color like black, blue, white, gray, tan and brown.
Women on the other hand can wear those neutral colors and more. Women can wear
skirts, dresses, leggings, jeans, sweat pants, sweatshirts, tank-tops,
sweaters, long sleeve shirts, short sleeve shirts, and much more. Women have
more range of clothes they can wear, which is not fair to men. Men are limited
to pants, sweat pants, suits, button downs, long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts.
Today you see men pushing their boundaries and wearing skinny jeans. Not only
are they wearing skinny jeans but also the colors of the jeans are crazy colors
like purple, white, red, green, and cool prints. Fashion is expression
therefore anyone should be allowed to wear anything that one wants. 
Fashion is not an easy profession. It
takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make trends popular. Fashion
designers are kind of like fortunetellers because they see the future. They are
the ones that set the trends and styles for us that we wear. In order to be a
successful fashion designer and successful in the fashion world, “you need to
always be one step ahead of the rest and you need to know and predict what
trends will be hot for up coming seasons and up coming years” (fashionworlds). Fashion
is constantly changing which makes it so appealing to may people. Change is a
huge part of life and in our society. We may not think so, but fashion does educate
us and prepare us for change in our lives. It’s the stepping blocks to change
in the real world. Throughout history, styles have changed. Its funny to think
that each decade certain clothes and trends go out of style and then
twenty-fife years later, certain trends come back to life. Fashion gives us
change. Change is healthy in our society because if everything were the same,
our world would be chaotic. People get sick an tired of normality and often seek change. Changing your style is the best way to change. Fashion is more than just clothes. It also refers
to accessories such as bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, ankle bracelets,
toe rings, hats, gloves, scarves, handbags, sunglasses, and shoes. Vintage
cross and skull bracelets are very in this year. They were seen all through the
80s and 90s when rock and roll became very popular. The patter tie-dye is also
really in. Many people today are wearing vintage tie-dye shirts or skirts.
Tie-dye was very popular in the 1960s through the 1970s. You would see many
girls and even guys wearing tie-dye apparel. Tie-dye recently became popular at
the beginning of 2012. However instead of tie-dye today we call it ombre. Ombre
is basically a monochromatic style. The apparel is one color that turns into
light or darker shades. For instance, if you have blue jeans, the top of the
jeans would be dark blue, the middle of the jeans would be lighter blue, and
the end of the jeans would be the lightest blue. It’s all blue but in different
shades. This is considered tie-dye because there are different colors
incorporated in one item. Ombre isn’t only popular in clothing but it is also
popular in hair, nails, and makeup. Many girls have ombre color hair. They
either have dark color hair at the roots that trickles down into a lighter
shade or a lighter shade at the roots that turns into a dark shade at the tips.
Ombre makeup is popular as well, more specifically, ombre lipstick. This is
when you have a darker lip liner and a lighter lipstick color on your lips. It
also works the other way with a lighter lip liner and darker lip color. Trends
come in all different types.
Fashion is in fact a huge business that makes
billions of dollars every year. The fashion industry not only takes from
society but also gives back. There are many wonderful organizations and
charities that help out the less fortunate. Fashion
For A Cause is an amazing organization. “Truman Medical Centers partnered
up with famous fashion icons such as Michelle Twibell, Chuck Matney, and Leslie
Brett” (fashionforacausekc). They are creating an event, Fashion For A Cause 2012.
This event raises money for women's health, more specifically it raises money
fro breast cancer. The creator of this organization is Giuliana Rancic, a
popular television host who stars in Fashion
Police and E! She was recently
diagnosed with breast cancer and luckily for her, she fought it. She created
this organization to help raise money for medical conditions. She is tying in
her one true love of fashion and creating a wonderful and moving event. Check
out more at http://fashionforacausekc.org.
Another
great charity that is linked into fashion is Fashion Fights Poverty. Poverty in America is an on going problem.
Most people can’t afford food, let alone clothes. “This is a non profit
organization that helps and empowers the poor and
communities”(fashionfightspverty). Designer’s benefit from this organization as
well by getting credit. It is a creative way to address the issue of poverty in
America. People will create clothes that will be auctioned off or bought.
All the proceeds will go to less fortunate people who need help. For more
information and/or if you would like to sign up please go to http://www.fashionfightspoverty.org.
Lets help make the world a better place by using fashion, one of the largest
economic industries out there. 
Fashion
and sociology goes hand in hand. Change is ineveitable and society is
constantly undergoing change. No matter if it is change in style or change in
weather, we as people are changing. Fashion is a way of easy expression. It’s
the one thing people look at. Cloths are advertisements. Fashion is a huge
factor in finding social groups. Most people interact with other who look like them,
dress like them, and have the same style. Fashion affects us. The media is a
key factor in fashion. The media controls us. Fashion and the media can be
dangerous on our youth today. Many kids endure bullying because of fashion.
Most kids today use fashion as a social weapon. Fashion in the media pressures
kids. They feel as if they have to look a certain way and act a certain way to
be accepted into society. Just as fashion could be a positive thing, it also
has its negative effects. All models are size zeros and everyone in the fashion
world is skinny and looks a certain way. Marilyn Monroe was a famous fashion
icon in the 50s. She has beautiful curves and was a normal waste size. During
her time she was seen as the perfect body and the perfect person. As time
progressed models became skinnier and skinnier and certainly less healthier.
Today there is a real bodies campaign. Cover Girl is finding real bodies that
are beautiful as models. Only a small percentage of girls have “perfect bodies”.
Cover Girl is incorporating real
bodies into their advertisements to show the world that all types of women are
beautiful. Fashion is a result of disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. By
using real bodies, the media is hoping to settle down these image disorders.
Works Cited
"Characteristics of Fashion,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide." Characteristics of Fashion,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sociologyguide.com/sociology_of_fashion/characteristics_of_fashion.php>.
"Fashion for a Cause." The Event. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://fashionforacausekc.org/event.html>.
"FASHION FOR THE PEOPLE." , About. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://sffamainc.org/about>.
"Fashion in Modern Society,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide." Fashion in Modern Society,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sociologyguide.com/sociology_of_fashion/fashion_in_modern_society.php>.
"Fashion Worlds." Fashion Worlds. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://fashionworlds.blogspot.com/2000_01_20_fashionworlds_archive.html>.
"Meaning of Fashion,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide." Meaning of Fashion,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sociologyguide.com/sociology_of_fashion/meaning_of_fashion.php>.
"News & Announcements." FASHION FIGHTS POVERTY. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fashionfightspoverty.org/>.
"Social Role of Fashion,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide." Social Role of Fashion,Sociology of Fashion,Sociology Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sociologyguide.com/sociology_of_fashion/social_role_of_fashion.php>.
"Sociological Images." Why Not Gender Neutral Clothes? ». N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2010/08/05/why-not-gender-neutral-clothes/>.
"Theories of FashionCostume and Fashion History." Sociology Semiotics Fashion History. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fashion-era.com/sociology_semiotics.htm>.
Articles and References
Fashion gives us social control. It “determines our speech, opinion,
belief, recreation, dress, music, art, and literature” (Sociologyguide 1). Fashion
deals with relationship and social meaning.
Fashion is a group choice. No one has individual fashion.
Fashion is a group decision whereas style deals with individuals. When style is
embraced by a group of people, it becomes fashion. Fashion is always changing
which is important. Fashion is a huge part of human life.
Fashion is a big part of modern day society, even more so
then in pervious generations. Our view of class is slurred. Back then class was
not an issue. Class means to have style, value, and morals. Today we think of
class as having money. Our judgment has changed especially because of where you
come from.
Fashion gives us demands for novelty and conformity. Fashion
satisfies desires necessary for living in society. It is custom belief to have
fashion and wear clothes. Fashion gets us ready for change. Change is
inevitable in our society. Fashion is connected to class.
The website explains and breaks down "fashion" in a sociological point of view. It explains challenges people face and what means what. It goes into depth from early on and how fashion involved into being something we need in order to be accepted into society.
This article is about how the United States makes clothes for women or men but never both. This also goes for children's clothes. In stores today, there is always a women section and a men section.
This article talks about the hard work and dedication that goes into being a fashion designer. You need to always be one step ahead of the rest and you need to know and predict what trends will be hot for up coming seasons and up coming years. The article connects sociology to fashion and what trends mean what.
Charities and Fashion for a Cause
Truman Medical Centers partnered up with famous fashion icons such as Michelle Twibell, Chuck Matney, and Leslie Brett. They are creating an event, Fashion for A Cause 2012. This event raises money for women's health, more specifically it raises money fro breast cancer.
A non profit organization that helps and empowers the poor and communities. Designers benefit from this organization as well by getting credit. It is a creative way to address the issue of poverty in America.
Is a non profit organization in Northern California. It educates people in the changing of styles that currently happen in the fashion world. The main purpose of this organization is to use techonolgy and social media to sell products. The economy is a problem so this organization is trying to help people who are struggling out.
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