Fashion: A key factor in America's Culture

Fashion plays a large role in America's culture. As a whole, America is a very trendy nation who puts a lot of time and money into the industry. As of 2015, New York City was named the most fashionable city in the world, indicating that fashion is a big part of many American's lives.

        Even though I don't live in New York City, fashion still plays a big role in my life as a teenager and high school student at Clarkston Junior High School. Everyday I am constantly exposed to and surrounded by "fashion", whether it is through my piers, magazines, t.v., or even the variety of stores and shopping malls near me. In Clarkston and other cities around the U.S, many people are willing to pay significant amounts of money for certain name brand products that become popular and trendy. It has been found that together Americans tend to spend more than $250 billion every year on the fashion industry.

      In the U.S., trends are constantly changing. Some are leaving, some are entering, and others are reoccurring from the past. I notice everyday classmates and friends of mine are constantly keeping up with the latest fashion trends. Whether this be a new pair of Lululemon leggings, a new fall cardigan, or even a new color pair of Uggs. This makes me think about how greedy America can be. There are some countries that aren't able to wear what they want because of economic issues, and others that aren't even able to wear anything because their families are so poverty stricken, and here we are spending ridiculous amounts of money buying new things when our old ones are in perfect conditions. Something that amazes the most about American trends is the fact that old trends come back eventually. I have especially noticed this lately, when different styles and clothing from my moms teenage years are becoming popular for teenagers now. Almost 20 years later, high top Converse, Sperry's, crop tops, flannel shirts, duck boots, Birkenstocks, and many more clothing brands and styles are becoming extremely popular again.

Why do Americans continue to spend billions of dollars on the fashion industry when the money could be used to help research and solve a global issue threatening our nation instead? I believe that this is because of culture. Because the fashion industry has made such a impact on America, I feel that Americans have integrated fashion into our culture and our everyday lives, therefore we can never escape it and spend less.