It’s 2011 and the popular styles sure have changed since we grasped the concept of fashion. And that concept came from where? When my littlest sister was about four or five years old, she would say outfits and accessories were “so fashion” or “so not fashion.” Where in the world did she come up with that? I’d like to think it was from seeing me dress to the nines, but 14 is kind of an awkward stage for everyone. Think about when you were young. As a five year old, you probably didn’t run to the latest issue of Vogue to get inspiration to update your wardrobe for the new season. The influence is bigger than your mom and your big sister. TV was the most popular form of media for young children in the 1990s and our favorite shows impacted us more than we think.
Flashback to 1995. You watch your favorite shows (“All That,” “Clarissa Explains it All,” “Rugrats,” etc.) and see what your favorite characters are wearing. You subconsciously took that into consideration when you got dressed in the morning or when you shopped with your mom. You annoyed your mom by whining, pleading and begging because you really, really,really want the hat that looked exactly like Clarissa’s from “Clarissa Explains it All.” You promised to be good for the rest of the trip if you could just get that hat! Money wasn’t a problem and most likely, you don’t understand the concept of a dollar just yet.
Back to 2011. Technology is very advanced and we receive information about the latest styles from the internet, magazines, newspapers, fashion apps and whatnot. We’re in our early 20s and we now realize the difference between quality and quantity. Most people can’t have both, unless you live in the (fictional) world of “Gossip Girl” on the (real) Upper East Side and your name is Blair Waldorf or Serena van der Woodsen. St. Petersburg is no New York City, but our city offers both. Whether you prefer luxurious fabrics or getting eight outfits for the price of one dress, you need money to buy the lovely things your favorite characters wear.
So then, how to deal? We can’t possibly unsubscribe to our favorite magazines, stop watching our beloved glamorous TV shows and stop following the industry’s best designers on Twitter. How do we get the things we covet and so desperately long for? Temper tantrums don’t necessarily work with retail associates. School and school-related obligations occupy most of our time, so forget working extra hours. That means we simply wait until our bills are paid and just buy everything little by little. Or save money every paycheck and splurge after a few months. Or wait until we graduate and have a salary. My favorite thing to do is shop at the end of the season when all the stores are clearing the racks to make way for new inventory. Then you can have luxurious and not-so-expensive!
As we continue to watch shows filled with fabulous fashion and expensive accessories, are we continuing the cycle of wanting what we can’t have right when we want it, like we learned when we were five? Does it matter? Some people live for fashion and most of them make a career out of it, so it is a good thing. The only downside could be spending too much money and getting into debt. TV shows like “Pretty Little Liars” and “Gossip Girl” entice the viewer into watching a glamorous lifestyle with stylish young female and male characters. Even Hannah Montana has her own secret closet the size of a large living room! Tell me that isn’t showing girls the glamorous lifestyle.
What’s your take on TV and fashion and the impact it has on our own, personal style? And are you a luxurious fabrics fashionista or a bang-for-your-buck kind of girl?
Shop your favorite “Gossip Girl” looks at http://store.cwtv.com/?v=cwtv_shows_gossip-girl
Sources: starpulse.com, cwtv.com, cinemablend.com (Gossip Girl photo), stylehive.com (Clarissa photo) Instyle.com (Hannah Montana photo)