The Negative effects the fashion industry has on youth
The fashion industry is an exquisite and compelling world of self expression and style. From the day we are born, we are given clothes that portray how our parents dress us and once we grow up we dress the way we have been inspired to dress. Little do we know, the industry of glam and fashion can actually have a negative effect on children and the juvenile mind.
It seems as if every year, the age children start wearing makeup gets younger and younger. A lot has changed with the age you begin wearing makeup and kids as young as six are wearing as much as a teenager would. The fashion industry and the social media industry are showing that you need makeup to be pretty and children are latching on to this idea. This is possessing kids to wear makeup and they are losing the value of self expression and being confident in your own skin. They are now learning the wrong value that looks are more important than character traits or social skills.
Instead of worrying about makeup and trends, kids should be enjoying their youth in other ways. Author Jeanette Marie Gibson Short Nilsen stated that, “statistics show that teens are engaging in sexual activities much earlier than the previous generation which may be attributed to the fashion industry’s effect.” Children now latching on to the makeup fad are also beginning to dress more mature than their age which can lead to people believing they are older which can ultimately put them in dangerous situations.
Cosmetic products have toxic ingredients in them and are putting children at a greater risk for cancer. The industry shields us from seeing the danger in their products. The society is causing kids at a young age to feel pressured into using these products and dressing a certain way.
From books to magazines to any social media, youth are exposed to models in the industry wherever they look. Models have intense diets and follow strict rules to maintain the “perfect” model body. When they see these models they are likely to feel more insecure about themselves and want to look the same. This causes them to have a lower ego and even put them at risk for having serious eating disorders. “It’s crazy the way the industry portrays models to children and teenagers. I think it would be better for everyone if they didn’t spend so much time perfecting models and using tons of Photoshop. People wouldn’t feel as insecure and would even feel better about their body's if the models looked more like them.” says senior Reagan Overeem. It is important that the media and parents encourage self love and positivity to children because it is easy for them to fall into to this trap of self hatred.
Another negative factor of fashion is the amount of time kids put into fashion. They are so consumed in the world of fashion and looking perfect that it takes up a lot of there time when they can be doing other things such as going outside and enjoying nature. Author Rima Hameed stated, “Unlike earlier times, now the teenagers do not go out with their parents on weekends, rather they plan their outings with their friends. For most of them the prime zones for outings have now become malls because they can do a lot of shopping there in addition to having fun.”
While fashion is a wonderful part of our society that brings us together in a unique way, it is important that the youth is enjoying their young years.