Designer Clothes? Not Any More

Benjamin Smith is 19 years old and he loves shopping. He is proud of having an expensive wardrobe. His list of his favourite fashion brands includes True Religion, Rock & Republic, and 7 For All Mankind. They all sell expensive clothes. The 19-year-old says that he once even paid $550 for a pair of black-and-silver Off-White shoes. “I used to buy the best and that 1)... ’ he says.

But then he found himself unemployed. He, like several of his friends from the same school, lost their jobs. It was because the economy of the country getting worse. Now they don’t talk that much about who’s wearing what, and wearing stylish clothes. Many young people in the U.S.A start working after high school to support their families and expenses. But economy around the world is weaker now. People earn less than they used to do and shopping in definitely more expensive. Instead of buying designer clothes, 2)... . They are closely watching their expenses. They are not buying things that they don’t really need anymore. They are instead paying bills. They are helping to support their families.

Michael Philips runs a youth center in Chicago. “There was a time when brands were clearly more important than anything else,” said Morris. “People used to brag about how much money they spend on a single item. Now we have to focus our money 3)... . Instead of buying designer clothes we take care of bills, or take care of our kids, or take care of the rent.” This current economy mostly affects lower income families. In the past they could buy designer clothes from time to time. Nowadays spending money on clothes has even become an issue. In most families, even teenage kids work to support family budget. In a time when even going to the cinema or eating out once a while is a luxury, 4)... .

Non-governmental organisations and charities come up with different options for young people’s clothing needs. At a youth center in South Central Los Angeles, teenagers are given free prom dresses. They say that in the past, girls would check for a designer tag. Then, 5)... . The center’s leaders have noticed that teens do this less and less. Perhaps, the leaders say, teens are growing less interested in designer brands.