Phony Fashion?

Phony Fashion? By Gretchen Drews, Opinion Editor

To avoid fast changing fashion trends, teens can choose different and better ways to buy clothing

Idly scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, you may realize how extremely fast niche styles and aesthetics rise and fall. The fashion industry has noticed this as well. Thus, “fast fashion” was born and has been responsible for plaguing the world ever since. Fast fashion is a term used to describe the cheap ways in which companies create “cute” or “trendy” clothing to better fit within the fashion community. At first glance, it may seem like the perfect option for teens in a trend obsessed world. One reason fast fashion exists is because of “micro trends,” or trends that quickly come and go. Senior Victoria Lightwine said these trends have inspired students to buy fast fashion because there are trendy, cheap clothes easily accessible online. “The idea of micro trends and wanting to ‘fit in’ or even not fit in has become a huge issue,” Lightwine said. Fast fashion may seem like a small price to pay for cute clothes, but senior Meredith Barger said it negatively impacts our world. Barber said she does her best to minimize her carbon footprint by not buying into fast fashion. Out of all the types of greenhouse gases, carbon emissions are the ones with the highest levels of emission in our atmosphere, and according to the World Bank Group, a group working against poverty through sustainable solutions, “the fast fashion industry is responsible for nearly 10% of annual global emissions” which essentially contributes to global warming. “Contributing to fast fashion is contributing to the most wasteful industry in the world, and contributes to the battle against global warming,” junior Julia Smith said. While avoiding fast fashion may seem like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be with these tips and recommendations. Smith said by simply checking the tag, you can tell if a piece of clothing is poor quality. “If the product is made of polyester, I would not buy it since polyester is a faux textile made of micro plastics and is actually very harmful to the environment,” Smith said. “They will not last nearly as long as a cotton shirt.” Barber said do your research online to see if you can find any hints that a clothing company might be unethical. Barber said some companies are notorious for their damaging means of production, for example Nike or Forever21. She said students should steer clear of any brands that use outsourcing or child labor to make their apparel. “If you’re buying on a website, you can look for a page about their ethics,” Barber said. “If they don’t have one you can kind of assume they’re probably unethical.” Shopping locally is also a good way to ethically source the products you buy if they are handmade, and it also has the benefit of leading to a more sustainable economy. “Supporting small business owners is giving back to the economy and helping it,” Lightwine said. “Small businesses are necessary for the longevity of our economy, so it’s always important to support and contribute to their success.” One major con to local businesses, however, is that the price tag can be pretty hefty. As teenagers, it’s understandable to not want to blow all your money on one tee shirt; however, you don’t need a lot of money to shop sustainably. This problem can be solved by going to resale shops where items are cheaper and can to be bought in bulk. “I just did a project about how child labor is used in fast fashion, and the poor working conditions, and that’s why it’s so cheap,” Barber said. “However, unlike the fast fashion industry, places like Goodwill and other thrift stores are only cheap because they’re just worn a bit.” You don’t need lots of money to look or feel good. “Buy pieces that make you happy,” Lightwine said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re considered ‘fashionable.’ If it makes you happy, then wear it. Don’t give into microtrends that capitalize off of your insecurities.”

Julia Smith, 11, strikes a pose to show off her thrifted and fashionable pants. Modeling her eco friendly jacket, Victoria Lightwine, 12, demonstrates how to dress to impress.