By Ms.Anjusha Bhattacharya, HiPi creator,
Teenage is a critical stage of development for every child. Between 13 to 19 years of age, they undergo significant physical and psychological changes. It’s also the age when they are most impressionable. Therefore, fashion psychologists believe that fashion brands target this category of buyers the most to incur higher profit margins. But, did you know that 27.3% of teens adopt fashion due to marketing and promotion of a particular style, while 24.7% of teenagers wear fashionable clothes to increase their strata? This shocking revelation was discovered by researchers of NIFT and IKGPTU in 2019.
Everyone perceives that we intentionally or unintentionally wear clothes to express ourselves. We can channel people’s perception of us with the type of clothes we wear. It has a direct psychological connection. What clothes we wear can heavily influence our cognitive abilities. Therefore, parents need to monitor their kids’ interests. Teenagers are attracted to fashion magazines and fashion-related television shows. Therefore, they look up to their celebrity idols and are more inclined to purchase and wear similar clothes to look like them. Hence, it is safe to say that the impact of media and magazines on teen minds is immense.
That can also be said for peer pressure. The same study also proved that 16% of 150 teens choose their clothes based on their friends’ fashion. The lack of self-esteem plays a huge role in it. About 44% of teenagers of 13-19 years have acknowledged that they wear trendy clothes to boost their self-confidence. It is equally worrying that today teens are adorning apparel despite not being comfortable. It is especially true for teenage girls. According to the fashion forecast, 36.7% of kids have admitted that sometimes they have pushed themselves to adopt fashion that neither their parents nor themselves liked, just to fit the frame. This ultimately leads to depression and limits their communication skills, hindering them from excelling in this increasingly growing competitive world.
While fashion is all about expressing oneself, it also has its negative side, especially among youth. As we already know, nowadays, kids are heavily influenced by magazines and media; they often feel pressured to obtain the same slim and fit figure as their favourite models and actors and copy their rich lifestyle. Add peer pressure to the mix, and you have the toxic trend of body shaming in hand. It leads to physical and psychological issues such as eating disorders, diseases, stress, and dependency on anti-depressants.
But not everything about fashion marketing is bad. It also has a positive aspect. With the independence to choose their clothes and unlimited access to social media, teens’ personalities are changing. Today, they have become more assertive; they are vocal about their likes and dislikes and can help others influence. With the advancements in fashion marketing, many teens can now discover their passion at an early stage and make choices accordingly.
In conclusion, the fashion industry is targeting teenagers to revolutionize the fashion world. However, the way it is perceived is affecting the psyche of the young impressionable minds. Their interests are shifting from their tradition, thus losing touch with their roots. Studies prove that many teens today wear stylish in-trend clothes to protect themselves from being bullied around. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important for parents to intervene and set boundaries when they sense their teenage kids’ behaviour towards clothing is changing at an alarming rate. Schools must hire counsellors for periodical counselling sessions for those who try to express themselves very harshly when it comes to fashion. Only then, these psychological issues related to fashion can be eradicated, and teens will be able to grow fearlessly.