Monday, May 18, 2009

Affluenza-fashion / consumption

Image source: http://www.hipsterwave.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/nike-dunks-mid-and-low-sneakers-obsession-1.jpg
This image doesn't exactly relate to what I wrote in the blog directly but it has a strong definition. Recession will not stop fashion especially sneaker collectors-check out the guy in the picture, everything in there is exclusive and extremely expensive! Hyp....


Today I read a article that was quite interesting to me and I found it on the web. According to the author, affluenza which is really describing something like a flu, can be also used to describe or relate to fashion and its' culture. I found a question in the article http://sweetpealovesgreen.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/the-recession-affluenza-and-kind-of-fashion/ that interest me and I was determined to dish out what I think. The question is "Could it be that capitalism can control our consumption so significantly through clever advertising and the media coverage of the recession enough to slow down or even stop our feelings of lack and dissatisfaction?" I think I would say yes to this question just because I am heavily involved with teenage fashion at the age of 18 and starting from the age of 14. Advertising and media coverage can and will completely hypnotize consumers even during a recession, primarily youths. On the web, I still notice many people (youth specifically) consuming items referring to sneakers and brand name clothing at a very high resell price. Re-sell meaning other people buying it for retail either having to line up for it, won/raffled it or somehow got it, and selling it back out online for a much higher amount of money than they payed for. This is of course to the seller's advantage and usually the buyer obviously knows their paying much more than retail for the item but they don't care. The reason is simple, because their desire and the demand for it is so high and even in the recession, they will still find a way to pull the money out of their butts to gain what they want. Those who still have a job at this time will dish out their monthly or weekly paychecks to get what they want, fashionwise. There is no way is stopping this but one's self which is extremely hard just like people's addiction to smoking. Fashion is a unstoppable force, supported by the barriers of advertising and media coverage!



"Yet whilst we are in this recession we are also being encouraged to spend. If we did not consume, capitalism would collapse, as we are currently witness to in the recession as it is the consumer who is being told to spend by the government to save our high street stores from administration." This is true but unfortunately, not happening. Resellers are generating their own little revenues on the internet while stores are making less and less sales, maybe at a moderate level. The government gave a little amount of money for people to spend, but instead, they saved and pay off their debts with the money they were given this time. People are learning to save and spend less during the recession, but when advertising with media coverage hits with "SALE 30-70% off or Buy one get one Free," it's over. Consuming will once again consume people's will to stop spending and save.



Although this article was consisted of opinion, it is very true according to my point of view as well because it's not only what I think but what I am noticing so far.



Affluenza will always be with a person who grew up with fashion, something that is not neccessary but one can not live without!


Source: http://www.centerstage.org/upload/htmlarea/09Season_IMAGES/fashion_WEB1.JPG


This image was captioned with: "Recession never affects fashion."




1 comment:

  1. Hey! I've only just seen your article! I'm really happy you were inspired by my article on affluenza :-) Had a read of your blog and you put across some really interesting arguments! Oh, and I'll put a link to you in my blogroll :-) xx

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