Posted by Anh Khoa on 11th Sep 2022
HIGH FASHION VS. Low Fashion by Sophie Peterson
When I flip through the beautiful, glossy pages of Vogue Magazine like 10 million other girls in America, I can’t help but notice the difference between myself, my peers, and the models gracing the pages. With their size negative three waists, pink eyebrows, snakeskin hats, floral lipstick, and black blush, I hardly think anyone (besides Lady Gaga) could consider these people their “fashion inspiration.” If anybody walked through the streets wearing any of this ridiculous attire, I’m almost certain they could get arrested for disorderly conduct. Why then, is so much money being poured into these crazy clothes that not a single person actually wears?
Just one look at a fashion magazine such as Vogue, Teen Vogue, NYLON, Marie Claire, or any other magazine that teenage girls are endlessly obsessed with. They can show you that “high fashion” is extremely overrated. For example, in Teen Vogue’s latest issue, star of Victorious,Victoria Justice is featured in the cover story, “Bring It On”. She is seen lounging by the pool in a Jack Wills pink polka dot dress paired with blue and black Miu Miu sneakers, an assortment of sharp, dangerous looking necklaces seemingly suffocating her, and sunglasses belonging to the 50s. Now I’m not sure about you, but I cannot picture anyone in the history of the world actually wearing this anywhere. I simply cannot think of an occasion where a mis-matched, absurd, (and not to mention $1,261) outfit such as this would be appropriate.
Instead of these crazy, over-priced clothes, I want to see clothing that I could actually see myself wearing and purchasing. What is the point of creating these over-the-top creations when they get worn by a single model for less than 15 minutes? For those of you who say that runway fashions give you “inspiration”… really? You draw inspiration from dresses made out of wicker (Dolce and Gabbana) and nine inch heels (Jeffrey Campbell)? I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, finding inspiration is good as long as it’s realistic. If the items featured in magazines were worn by healthy models, were reasonably priced and not totally “out there”, I wouldn’t have a problem.
I think that it is way past time for a change in the fashion industry. Instead of skeleton models, I would like to see somewhat average-sized, healthy girls that people my age can look up to. Instead of silly, confusing clothes, I want to see inspiring, somewhat normal ensembles. Instead of only celebrities and rich weirdos pouring their money into this 20-billion dollar industry, I want to be able to contribute to the fashion world by purchasing something that is in my price range and not completely crazy. Being a fashion addict myself, I don’t think it is too much to ask that the fashion world start considering a broader audience. But until then, let’s work with what we have and dress for everyday as if it will be your last.