-
How Is ‘Retail Therapy’ Causing a Need for More?
We have all been there, going shopping to feel good on a bad day. This could be defined as ‘retail therapy’, a mechanism to give us temporary fulfilment by purchasing on impulse, and of course, it makes us feel good! Consumerism encourages the idea that happiness can be bought. This is a very problematic concept. In turn, we drift from our ‘true needs’ and turn to ‘false needs’ for temporary fulfilment. Retail therapy is much more of a common outlet than you may think, many of us are guilty of it, even if we are not conscious. Take a look at your last online haul, what item did you really…
-
Is Instagram Detrimental to Society?
Instagram is one of the most used social media applications in the world. It launched in 2010 and within two months it already had one million registered users. As of 2019, they reached one billion users. I got Instagram at the young age of twelve-years-old but at that time it was just images of your food and random things with awful filters. Now, it has transitioned into a billion-dollar industry with people craving for likes. You get users being paid to promote everything from diet teas, waist trainers and beauty products. The promotion of these products promotes a false reality fed to users. They show all the good parts of…
-
Cancel Culture: Isn’t it Time We Cancelled it?
In a time where mental health has become such a widely discussed topic, why does cancel culture still exist? It seems ridiculous that we live in an age where so many people struggle with mental health issues, yet it is a trend to tear people down online. To add to the irony, more than ever people are using social media to advocate for mental health awareness. Yet influencers and creators are forced to take time away from platforms to take care of their own mental health. It is slowly becoming accepted that social media is a toxic space and criticism is normal. This criticism, as most of us have probably…
-
Perfectionism: Fashion and its Impact on Body Dysmorphia
Perfection is found in accepting your imperfections Bridgett Devoue The way that we perceive our bodies is vital to our levels of self-confidence, self-worth, and the way that we interact with others. In today’s world, a mental illness known as ‘Body Dysmorphic Disorder’ is an alarming concern. According to the NHS, “Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance”. One of the factors that can trigger the obsession with a certain body part is fashion. Within the fashion industry, there are many aspects that could induce anxiety or worry in certain consumers. For example, if…
-
Mental Health of Consumers’ When Marketing
When brands market their products they have to find a balance – social media is a main point of stress for young people while also being a main communication channel for brands. Young consumers value mental health and expect brands to engage with their emotional needs. Brand marketing strategies Brands can mitigate mental health through their marketing strategy by promoting positivity and wellness. Mental health is becoming easier to discuss as many people and brands have accepted that mental health is an issue people need to talk about. Social media has been criticised for being one of the causes of mental health because it is seen as promoting unrealistic images…
-
How Trends Can Be Toxic to Our Mental Health
Social media is the largest, most popular and global network of all time. With 3.81 billion active social media users around the world, almost every brand uses social media as their platform base. First thing of a morning and last thing at night, a lot of people tend to scroll through social media apps. Looking at new trends or comparing ourselves to others is the norm. However, this could lead to users struggling with their mental health. Mental health Social media can play a huge part in affecting a person’s mental health. Instagram in particular can have a negative effect. Due to Instagram predominately being a picture app, this can…
-
The Fighting of Text Book Diversity and Those Who Defined the Odds to Inspire Us
Diversity is used everyday. Do we really know the meaning of it and how to practice it? Businesses use it to make a role vacancy appealing but delving deeper than this opens up the discussion. For me personally, diversity is about where we came from and where we want to go, our stories are all unique. As Malcom Forbes said “diversity, the art of thinking independently together.” A Social Background A person’s social background is a huge part of what diversity means. Your social background does not determine how your life ends up and fashion seems to define the odds of your class status. The clothes you wear today probably…
-
Diversity in fashion: brands leading the way
Diversity is one of the biggest issues facing the fashion and beauty industries today. The number of underrepresented groups is vast with size, age, ethnicity and sexuality fighting its way to be seen and heard. However, in recent years, these industries have taken steps towards being more inclusive. Driven by social media, the world of beauty and fashion has moved to welcome and represent customers along the spectrum of skin shades, gender identities and body types. Undoubtedly, diversity, and inclusion have become powerful movements and a priority for companies looking to succeed. Paving the way for diversity Fenty Beauty is just one example of a beauty brand paving the way…
-
Habits: Combating Our Collective Habit of ‘One-Time-Wear’
Just another thing to leave behind in 2020. Unloading how social media reinforces the habit of one-time-wear and how to avoid it. Where did this habit come from? Why is the habit deemed bad? There are three main reasons why one-time-wear is not something you should encourage or contribute towards. Firstly, it is an endless cycle of consumerism (which fashion brands know and will use this to persuade you!). You may buy a new blouse for the weekend, then when it comes to the following week, you feel the need to buy another. Brands often use this as a marketing strategy, which can explain why you may get several discount…
-
Stony Faced Style: How Gen Z Lift the Veil with ‘Meme Fashion’
Meme. A concept borne out of the sheer delight in making the banal details of life slightly more amusing. Usually funny. Very often trivial. They offer a splash of colour to an otherwise slightly bleak canvas. So why is this characteristically whimsical strand of absurdity suddenly sneaking in through the back door of fashion? Is humble humour softening the ivory tower of high-fashion? Or are we skimming the sharpened cheekbones of self-awareness, teetering on the edge of capitalised comedy? The power of humour To dare to be seen being funny. Or worse, attempting to demonstrate a sense of humour which in fact reveals a distinct lack of one. Either way,…
