Fashion: Healthy Individual Expression or Harmful Division?

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   Brandy Burlwoodposted 12 years ago

   Most women these days see a red bottom shoe and do a double-take. We just HAVE to look and evaluate whether or not they are real Louboutin's. No question that they are high quality shoes, beautifully made, but at $600+ a pair, purchasing them is simply out of reach for most women. I do not begrudge anyone who can afford beautiful luxury items, but I cannot help but think about the class division a pair of Louboutin's represents. Young girls reading fashion magazines - heck even older women - see garments, shoes and accessories that they could never afford. Fifteen years ago advertising firms globally started to understand the emerging buying power of single professional women, and have continued to bombard us for more than a decade with increasing numbers of luxury products. When women see the lifestyle and items being promoted by the fashion industry, it is easy to feel bad about themselves for not being able to afford what is presented. Although advertising firms are targeting the top 1% of earners, it certainly feels like "everyone" can afford such items when we are continually blasted with campaigns for Marc Jacobs handbags, Burberry coats and David Yurman jewelry. My question is: do people care about the quality of such items, or is purchasing and wearing a pair of red bottom shoes simply a way to display status; therefore, separating yourself from the huddled masses? Is it a healthy freedom of self-expression or does it cause a harmful division in our society?

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