Lubaba Abbas Kazmi
Sunday March 10, 2019
Spring Elective: Fashion and Culture
Creative Reflection
Page 40
The Right to Buy
Advertising and marketing in the fashion world have changed the behavior and psychology of the buyers. College students are affected by it the most in my opinion. Consumerism makes one belief that a piece of clothing or personal consumption of any sort can bring personal happiness and wellbeing. Consumers get trapped in a never-ending desire to possess certain goods.
It’s so convenient as a college student to buy clothes from stores like Forever 21 as they are cheap, and you can throw them away after the certain fashion trends die out. The demand of such products increases and hence the supply increases. The quality of the goods doesn’t matter as much when they’re being offered at such low prices. However, for those prices, someone is being paid a lot less for production. These factory workers do not even know about their rights and how they’re being exploited.
Conspicuous consumption influences our consumption patterns when one sees others in their social circle buying expensive and branded products. They feel the pressure to purchase or similar products. Thus, this influences their purchasing habits, the repercussions of which are over spending and wastage. Though, if one chooses to ignore or shun the societal pressures, it’ll be better for the planet and eventually for us.
