Teenage Clothes and Fashion

Why is it that when you look around the streets, all the young people seem to be wearing the same clothes? Why does every single one of them appear to have had their hair cut — or not cut — at the same hairdresser's? Just watch a few music videos and you will begin to understand how it all works. Popular music seems to have become the most important means of self-definition for young people. Whether they prefer heavy metal, grunge or pop. the musicians they sec on TV soon become their role models. They not only want to hear the sound, they want to copy the musician's style. The result is long, straggly hair, which is shaved at the sides, multiple earrings, baggy shirts and trousers and trainers as big as shoe boxes. Comfort is not essential either. Big shoes may be easier to slip out of than to actually walk in, but if you want to keep up with the trends, you wear them anyway. Peer pressure is another influence. To most young people dressing to look like their friends seems to be the surest way to be accepted. Unfortunately, the first victim of "fashion victimization" is individuality. While style should ideally be a way of showing people who you really are, following the trends means that you end up being — or seeming to be — exactly like everyone else.

Teenagers would rather not go out at all than go out wearing the "wrong" clothes or footwear. Even in cold weather they prefer to go out without wearing a jacket if it means avoiding wearing something which does not make them look cool. The problem is the clothes that teenagers think are cool, tend to be more expensive than those which are not. Also, the "uncool" clothes are often much warmer than the trendy ones, but unfortunately kids can't stand wearing them. Certain brand names are not as popular, for some reasons, as others.

Take boots, for example. Many teenagers like wearing Nike's shoes. Nike is an American manufacturer of sports clothes and shoes. He has become very fashionable with young people. Nike is pronounced "nickey" and is the goddess in Greek mythology. Nike, who sat at the side of Zeus, was usually represented as a winged figure. And nowadays the Nike "swoosh" logo appears on every pair of Nike shoes.

Vocabulary

hairdresser — парикмахер
self-definition — самовыражение, самоопределение
straggly — растрепанный
to shave — бриться
multiple earrings — многочисленные серьги
baggy — мешковатый
trainers — кроссовки
essential — значительный, достаточный
to slip out — соскакивать
to keep up with the trends — идти в ногу с тенденциями моды
peer — ровня, равный
pressure — давление
influence — влияние
surest way — самый надежный способ
to accept — принимать
victim — жертва
individuality — индивидуальность
to follow the trends — следовать тенденциям моды
footwear — обувь
trendy — сверхмодный
can't stand wearing — не носят ("не выносят" такую одежду)
brand name — торговая марка
logo — логотип
manufacture — производство, изготовление
goddess — богиня
mythology — мифология
to represent — представлять
winged figure — крылатая фигура
swoosh — звук проносящегося на большой скорости предмета

Questions

1. What clothes do you like to wear?
2. Do you keep up with the trends? Why?
3. Is it cheap or expensive to keep up with the trends?
4. Do all teenagers follow the trends? Why?
5. Do your parents approve your taste in clothes?
6. Do you like to look cool? Why?
7. Do you prefer individuality in fashion? Why?
8. Do you like to wear clothes with brand names? Why?

Teenage Clothes and Fashion A Short History of Hair The Style You Choose. School uniform.