When looking at different media outlets, you will often be met with very outlandish and extreme fashion brought on by celebrities and different designer brands. These different outfits and accessories are intended to draw attention to celebrities and keep people looking at them throughout their careers. As fun as these outfits can be to observe from afar, they might be doing more harm than good to those who cannot afford any kind of luxury brand.
There are many celebrities that young teens look up to who are constantly wearing clothing that costs thousands to millions of dollars. While some people may not bat an eye to this, I believe it can harm the way kids and young adults perceive what fashion is truly meant to be.
There are many beauty standards prevalent within media today, and they have only been progressing over time. Most of the complaints veer on the side of appearance, including body type, clear skin, and lack of body hair, rather than the clothes they wear.
“Despite the initial spike of satisfaction one might feel when the ‘perfection’ we’ve been told to strive for is exposed as an illusion, what these images are ultimately doing is reinforcing the idea that there is a beauty ideal, and if we throw enough money at the situation, we too can attain it,” a Vouge article said.
The idea of designer brands only being for the wealthy and the elite has been around for a very long time. Most average, middle-class individuals can’t afford to wear the outfits and jewelry they see celebrities wearing 24/7. The constant posts and advertisements that celebrities use to endorse very expensive brands are setting unrealistic expectations for what the fashion industry really is.
As someone who loves to experiment with fashion, I am often discouraged from seeing huge price tags on pieces that I enjoy. Those prices could range from just $50 to $100, while celebrities are spending thousands on individual pieces of clothing.
It makes sense that celebrities are using their wealth to treat themselves to designer clothing, but the media often fails to show teens that that’s not what realistic fashion looks like.
To take Taylor Swift as an example, one of her most iconic fashion looks is the custom bejeweled body suit by Atelier Versace. Many fans replicated this beautiful outfit for the Eras Tour, but what they didn’t know was that the original cost was $15,000. Another example is when Harry Styles had a partnership with Gucci and advertised their clothing. He could be seen wearing an all-denim outfit with a brown tie, and a red back on his shoulder. The outfit took on a relatively mundane look but cost $14,040.
There are many ways to dress fashionably without breaking the bank including shopping at local thrift stores, layering clothing, and sharing clothes with friends and family. Although celebrity fashion can be fascinating to observe, it isn’t the standard of fashion we have today for everyday people.