The world today is filled with ads and people saying you must eat, do, and wear certain things. This is our grim reality and it could eventually pose a serious threat to the human brain due to the often conflicting and confusing messages. In my opinion, Yes, teenagers place way too much importance on what they wear. Some say this is just a phase for our youth, but I feel it is much more serious than that.
Peer pressure is not a new subject, when it comes to drugs, alcohol and other dangerous or illegal activities. However, it is somewhat ignored when it comes to regular stress such as schoolwork, what to eat, and what to wear. Teenagers are interesting, because they’re not adults and yet they are no longer simply kids; in age that is. This can usually cause them to be very much more malleable in believing a certain idea.
Clothing has always been seen as a necessity in the past; however, it is now being seen as more of a social statement and as a stigma if it is non-conforming. The brand of clothing you wear determines your status and wealth. If you show up to school in cheap Wal-Mart clothing, some interpret that as a sign of poverty and lack of care for how you look. This causes people to believe you do not care about yourself and they often jump to the wrong conclusions. One should look a little deeper and see that most likely the family is on a tight budget and they are doing the best with what they can afford.
There is also the entire self-confidence aspect of clothing. If you can’t afford the designer shirts and shoes, then because of the fashion world’s marketing influences, you may start to feel dejected and angry with yourself or your parents. This is not only bad for your mental state, but also for your physical state. If you don’t think you look good, this can result in thinking that you’re not smart or attractive.
In my opinion, the world can be a scary and horrible place and, to be honest, for most people they need money to have self-confidence. I’m not saying this to be mean; I am simply being honest. I know many people, who are not very wealthy and also have low self-confidence. They feel that because of their status they are not as intelligent as everyone else. Which in many cases is not true.
Lastly, there is the aspect of people looking too good. If a woman dresses herself in luxurious and usually revealing clothing, it causes people to believe she is somewhat promiscuous. For men it is no different, if they look too good, then people believe they are gay. I am sorry if what I said offends anyone, but in my opinion this is the truth. The amount of people I hear talking about how those pair of jeans or that jacket make him look gay, or make her look ‘cheap’ would astonish you.
Teenagers seem to care about everything, except respect. Over the years teenagers have been molded to think that to be popular and cool they must wear designer apparel and the most current hot brands. This is just simply untrue.
By Guest Blogger, Zachary Tolstoy
The Action for Teens @ Risk Collection
