What fashion means to people
Southampton shoppers today revealed what fashion truly means to them. The sales seem to be the biggest attraction especially at this festive time, with the typical offers of “3 for 2” or “Buy one get one free” are becoming more and more apparent everywhere you go.
The bustling city has a wide range of shops and boutiques to satisfy every shopper’s needs, although with the recession, it has caused more and more people to be more careful on how and what they are spending their hard earned money on.
Some people prefer to wear more branded clothes as they like being “in” with that seasons trends. “I try to make sure I look decent when I go out but ensure I’m comfortable as well otherwise I’ll be fidgeting all day. I do buy more branded items as I think they last longer than the cheaper retailers” explained Jordan Hooper, 20, Sports Management Student. Kerry Johnstone, 26, a Secretary said: “Within my job I have to ensure I look smart all the time so I do buy expensive suits and shoes to ensure I look the part, however outside of work I like more high street shops and online retailers where I can find a certain item then shop around. For example if I see a nice jumper in Topshop then I will shop around to see if I can find a similar one at a lesser price.”
Though for a variety of people comfort seemed like the best option for them, Margaret Oliver, 80 years young, agreed: “I just buy something that looks good and make sure I’m comfortable and warm within it. I don’t care about these high street fashion stores there are nice vintage shops and charity shops around that I can still find some beautiful clothes in. I think the media has made it out to be such a major thing in society when they should be more focused on important news events not ‘who wore it best’. I definitely agree in a sense with Margaret, society is so focused on what people wear and the make that people are stereotypically labelled something just by the clothes that they are wearing. This isn’t fair at all as you should wear something that makes you feel happy.”
Within the industry you have to ensure your keeping within the latest fashion so you can show off the big items for that season. Hannah Barrett, 28, Topshop Employee explained “ Obviously I love fashion and working in a retailer like this you have to ensure you’re wearing the latest trends at all time to help show them off to the public. Although to me I see it more as a way to express myself through clothes.”
Sometimes fashion isn’t just what someone enjoys wearing or how they showcase it off for their own personal style its what makes them feel comfortable and to fit into the stereotype of society.