Fashion Trends

Many young people today spend too much time following the latest fashion trends in areas such as clothing and technology.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

A large number of young people today spend a significant amount of their time following the latest trends. I am in agreement with this sentiment and would argue that consumerism is the underlying driver though I believe there are those who prioritise other socio-economic concerns over chasing trends. 

Detractors of this contention argue that young people these days tend to gravitate towards more pressing global issues. It is not uncommon to hear conversations among young people on topics ranging from political dissidents to climate change and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. A relevant example of this would be the recent emergence of various youth advocacy groups in Vietnam in which students engage in environmentally friendly activities such as collecting plastic waste for recycling or staging protests against companies that have not adopted sustainable practices.  

However, I would opine that the above pales in comparison to the overwhelming focus on the latest trends in clothing and technology. This is arguably a direct result of the consumer culture marketed by the advertising industry. Regarding clothing items, many young people, under the influence of invasive online marketing, develop a high propensity to purchase the latest outfits and accessories. They, as a result, buy too many high-end and non-essential luxury goods such as handbags and designer footwear. This can be best evidenced by the relentless growth in the luxury-goods sector and how large shoemakers, such as Nike, allocate the majority of their advertising budget to younger demographics. In terms of technology, not only are young adults often captivated by the latest upgrades of new electronic devices, they are also now more interested than ever before in new concepts such as the “metaverse” which encompasses the purchases of products including cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”). 

In conclusion, whilst there are those who are deeply concerned about important social issues, I would concede that most young people today prefer spending time and resources on the latest trends in fashion and technology. Individuals, in my opinion, should strive to work toward issues that benefit the public good.

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Essay Breakdown

Introduction:

[1] A large number of young people today spend a significant amount of their time following the latest trends. [2] I am in agreement with this sentiment and would argue that consumerism is the underlying driver [2.2] though I believe there are those who prioritise other socioeconomic concerns over chasing trends. [2.3]

1. Paraphrase the topic

2. Give a clear statement showing opinion -> agree

2.1 why I agree -> body 2

2.2 what people who disagree might say -> body 1

Body 1:

[1] Detractors of this contention argue that young people these days tend to gravitate towards more pressing global issues. [2] It is not uncommon to hear conversations among young people on topics ranging from political dissidents to climate change and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. [3] A relevant example of this would be the recent emergence of various youth advocacy groups in Vietnam in which students engage in environmentally friendly activities such as collecting plastic waste for recycling or staging protests against companies that have not adopted sustainable practices.

1. Topic sentence with the main idea – why people disagree with the trends mentioned in the question

2. Use a fact to explain my main idea.

3. Develop the fact by giving a relevant example.

Body 2:

[1] However, I would opine that the above pales in comparison to the overwhelming focus on the latest trends in clothing [1.1] and technology [1.2]. [2] This is arguably a direct result of the consumer culture marketed by the advertising industry. [3] Regarding clothing items, many young people, under the influence of invasive online marketing, develop a high propensity to purchase the latest outfits and accessories. [4] They, as a result, buy too many high-end and non-essential luxury goods such as handbags and designer footwear. [5] This can be best evidenced by the relentless growth in the luxury-goods sector and how large shoemakers, such as Nike, allocate the majority of their advertising budget to younger demographics. [6] In terms of technology, not only are young adults often captivated by the latest upgrades of new electronic devices, they are also now more interested than ever before in new concepts such as the “metaverse” which encompasses the purchases of products including cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”).

1. Topic sentence to support my preferred viewpoint

1.1 & 1.2 Two targeted subjects

2. Explain the main idea related to the first targeted subject

3. Explain the main idea further

4. Continue to develop the main idea

5. Use a fact as an example

6. Explain the main idea related to the second targeted subject

Conclusion:

[1] In conclusion, whilst there are those who are deeply concerned about important social issues, I would concede that most young people today prefer spending time and resources on the latest trends in fashion and technology. [2] Individuals, in my opinion, should strive to work toward issues that benefit the public good.

1. Conclude and state personal agreement one more time 

2. Extend the viewpoint by giving a personal preference

Vocabulary:

A large number of young people today spend a significant amount of their time following the latest trends. I am in agreement with this sentiment and would argue that consumerism is the underlying driver though I believe there are those who prioritise other socio-economic concerns over chasing trends. 

Detractors of this contention argue that young people these days tend to gravitate towards more pressing global issues. It is not uncommon to hear conversations among young people on topics ranging from political dissidents to climate change and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. A relevant example of this would be the recent emergence of various youth advocacy groups in Vietnam in which students engage in environmentally friendly activities such as collecting plastic waste for recycling or staging protests against companies that have not adopted sustainable practices.  

However, I would opine that the above pales in comparison to the overwhelming focus on the latest trends in clothing and technology. This is arguably a direct result of the consumer culture marketed by the advertising industry. Regarding clothing items, many young people, under the influence of invasive online marketing, develop a high propensity to purchase the latest outfits and accessories. They, as a result, buy too many high-end and non-essential luxury goods such as handbags and designer footwear. This can be best evidenced by the relentless growth in the luxury-goods sector and how large shoemakers, such as Nike, allocate the majority of their advertising budget to younger demographics. In terms of technology, not only are young adults often captivated by the latest upgrades of new electronic devices, they are also now more interested than ever before in new concepts such as the “metaverse” which encompasses the purchases of products including cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”). 

In conclusion, whilst there are those who are deeply concerned about important social issues, I would concede that most young people today prefer spending time and resources on the latest trends in fashion and technology. Individuals, in my opinion, should strive to work toward issues that benefit the public good.  

Vocabulary Highlight:

• underlying (adj): important but not always easily noticed
• socio-economic (adj): relating to society and economics 
• gravitate towards (phrasal verb): to move towards somebody/something that you are attracted to
• dissident (n): a person who strongly disagrees with and criticizes their government
• emergence (n) (of somebody/something) (from something): the fact of somebody/something moving out of or away from something and becoming possible to see
• advocacy group (n): a group of people who work together to achieve something, especially by putting pressure on the government
• engage in (phrasal verb): to take part in something
• protest (n): the expression of strong dislike of or opposition to something
• adopt (v): to start to use a particular method
• opine that …(v): to express a particular opinion
• pales in comparison (to/with something): to seem less important when compared with something else
• invasive (adj): spreading very quickly and difficult to stop
• propensity (n): a natural desire or need that makes you tend to behave in a particular way
• be captivated (by something): find something fascinating and attractive
• encompass (v): to include a large number or range of things
• cryptocurrency (n): a digital currency, which is an alternative form of payment created using encryption algorithms
• non-fungible token (n): a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied and is recorded in a blockchain, which is used to certify authenticity and ownership

Reading:

Further reading about this topic can be found here:

https://www.cbinsights.com/research/fashion-tech-future-trends/

Listening:

Further listening about this topic can be found here: