Fashion Identity Crisis

From kimonos, saris, dirndls, dashiki, and ponchos, globally teenagers have now gone from diverse cultural attires to simple but non-cultural articles of clothing such as hoodies, jeans, and sweatshirts. You may wonder why certain cultures have drastically, over the past 40 years, especially within the young society, changed their everyday attire which represented their history and national pride within their culture, which also brought to them something that made them uniquely recognized around the world, to something that is now undiversified and is just simply uninformed. 

My whole life I was told that being exceptionally different or unique was something to be proud of and something I should embrace wholly, and at least for some, it was impressed upon them to not feel ashamed about it. I can attest that this is the case for most teenagers who live in a positive social environment. But why did we still all in the end feel the need to fit in and be like the ones who influence us? This need to be like the “rest” has enormously deteriorated our cultures. Perhaps it is the pressure that teens feel that they have to reach a certain unspoken expectation of how they are supposed to dress otherwise they won’t look as “cool” as their other friends who are following the new fashion trends all over social media. According to a 2020 survey by Pew Research, 67% of teens report feeling pressure to dress a certain way to fit in with their peers. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the many reasons why adolescents in the late 20th century and early 21st century have gradually ceased wearing their traditional attire. 

A study published by the American Psychological Association found that around 85% of teens use fashion as a form of self-expression. It is conspicuously “old fashioned” and “weird” to be dressed in cultural clothes on an everyday basis while living in a fast-paced world. Just as Mukesh Ambani quoted “The attire of today’s youth is indicative of their shifting cultural identity. Westernization has permeated so deeply that teenagers no longer view their traditional dress as part of their everyday life.” As a result many students are bullied for sharing their culture through their clothes, so instead they decide to wear the more Western styles which are “in fashion”. This brings a sense of safety as they would not be noticed by other teens because they would fit in so perfectly with the rest and feel a sense of security. Most teens who try to hide their insecurities and personality issues try to hide them by wearing clothes that give them more confidence, which only comes from the approval of others. They will not gain the same feeling by wearing their traditional garments that are now seen as “abnormal”.  Well, considering the influence of social media, movies, celebrities, and content creators, the majority coming from Western countries, it has become difficult for teenagers to stay connected with their traditional roots. Adolescents want to be like their influencers and want to keep up with the many trends, as it is cool and new. 

But why jeans and hoodies? Don’t you think those intricately handmade garments filled with exquisite patterns and cultural symbols that hold so many meanings and national history are “cooler” outfits to wear instead of these basic Western styles? No, perhaps it is because they are handmade that people wear them less. These time-efficient and cost-effective Western clothes are also more comfortable than wearing certain traditional clothes. Even though they look beautiful they may cause discomfort, like feeling restricted, which is the opposite of the characteristics of modern Western clothing. 

During the post-World War 2 period, as Westernization and globalization gained momentum more and more teens started to all look like minions. This influence of Western culture on the rest of the world due to the rise of social media and the internet brought about an increase in cultural deterioration. Many of the western brands such as Nike, Adidas or even Zara permeated into every non-western culture. Due to globalization, many Transnational Corporations from the more economically thriving countries in the Western world have settled in countries that are less developed and are eager to try to make their countries richer and more successful like the Westerners'. Western fashion brands are more present than ever since, 2016 till 2023 statistics show the value of the Western wear market worldwide. The global western-style apparel market was valued at approximately 71.1 billion U.S. dollars but was forecast to reach a value of 99.4 billion U.S. dollars by 2023. So more and more countries allow for these Western influences which initially push away their cultural values and traditions, as it is seen as a successful way to dress. Just as Dr. Angela McRobbie, Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths University of London argued “The global reach of Western fashion brands has become a defining feature in the erosion of cultural attire among youth, who increasingly view Western clothing as a marker of modernity and progress.” 

Even though most teens wake up and decide to wear baggy jeans, hoodies, and sweatpants every day, we still have the minority who have decided to embrace their cultural heritage. Maybe the majority should become the minority. We should all be firm believers that conserving cultural values, traditions, and customs is very important. Otherwise, all cultures will go extinct and our future generations will be left with one global culture. For all we know, maybe the way our teens dress today will keep rebuilding the cultures that have slowly died. By strongly encouraging them to not be ashamed of where they come from. Because no culture is better than the other.”