Fashion, according to the Cambridge English dictionary, is a style that is popular at a particular time especially in clothes, hair, make-up, etc.
So why is fashion so important in the life of a young girl or teenager?
Fashion, whether we consciously realise it or not, plays a large part in everyone’s lives but never more so than for teen girls. Most teenagers spend hours surfing the net looking at fashion and putting outfits in their various wishlists. It’s always amazed me just how long my girls can spend doing just that…
As a Boutique for teenage fashion, and a mum of two teenage girls, it’s important to me to understand the impacts of fashion on my young customers so I’m able to make sure that the way things are done at Silhouette London result in a positive, empowering experience… That is after all, what we’re all about…
Over the years, it’s become clear to me just how powerful fashion can be. I’ve seen over and over again how a young girl can come in feeling shy and unsure and how they transform when they put on a dress or outfit that they love. They literally blossom before my eyes and start twirling and dancing around the shop. I’ve said it so many times but it’s the part of my job that I love more than anything else.
What’s also become obvious to me though is that it doesn’t matter how many times you tell your customer they look amazing or that a particular dress or outfit really suits them, if that dress does not truly reflect who they are, they will never be 100% happy in it and that transformation will never be complete. The perfect dress is only the one if it is THEIR perfect dress..
And that principle applies to all fashion, whether it’s a piece of jewellery, a pair of shoes or the way someone does their hair and make up. Fashion in all its forms is a way to express yourself, a way for a young girl or teenager to show who they are and also who they want to be. Fashion gives a strong sense of one’s identity and that is why it is so important in the life of a teenager as they seek to discover and express themselves and their personality.
Some teenagers need an element of rebellion in their life, it’s a part of finding themselves. Fashion gives a safe outlet for that rebellion. Others don’t want to stand out or be different and fashion helps them achieve that too. It’s about what makes each individual young girl feel comfortable and beautiful. There is no right or wrong.
Fashion also gives an outlet for every girl to showcase her creativity. No need to slavishly follow a particular style. You can add your own twist and create your own style, it’s part of being who you are and we love that!
Fashion allows you to connect with like minded people as people get a sense of who you are just by the way you are dressed. But, this is where one needs to be careful. Who someone is, is not defined by the way they look and it is so important for young girls and teenagers to understand this. Dressing a certain way just to try and fit in and giving into peer pressure starts to take the impact of fashion in a negative direction. Being influenced by photoshopped images of models and celebrities and feeling the need to look that way or only wear certain brands because that’s what others are doing, again can become hugely negative.
It’s not about comparing yourself to anyone else, whether it’s a friend or a model in a magazine. Fashion is about who you are, and the truth is, you are beautiful. If you love a certain dress or outfit, wear it with confidence and rock the look as only you can. Be comfortable in your own skin and develop your own style. And if your style is OTT, that’s fab and if it’s understated, that’s fab too as long as it reflects who YOU are…
Fashion is all about having fun, feeling amazing in what you wear and becoming your best self. Creating that empowering feeling is why we do what we do – as Anne Klein said “Clothes aren’t going to change the world. The women who wear them will.”
The young girls and teenagers of today are those life changing women of the future. Let’s help them get there… 