Writing for Academic Discussion Are fashion and clothing important?

Some people argue that investing effort and money in dressing fashionably and attractively is important. Others believe that spending resources on clothes is unnecessary and that money and effort should be better utilized elsewhere. Given these perspectives, do you think fashion and clothing are important, and why?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.       The first sentence of the writing topic says, “Some people argue that investing effort and money in dressing fashionably and attractively is important”. What do you think makes some people think this way?

2.       What is more important than clothes?

3.       Which approach to fashion do you sympathize with?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

The first view

1.       Dressing yourself well is a sign of your good attitude. It gives others a good impression about you. For example, you wear a suit for a job interview to show that you have common sense and respect for the company you are applying for. The same goes in every aspect of our daily lives. We communicate partly by how we dress.

 

2.       Enjoying fashion is enjoying life. You have to respect and take care of yourself, and naturally you will be conscious of fashion. You have to make a decision on what to wear seriously and try to enjoy embellishing yourself as part of this philosophy.

 

3.       How you dress shows your identity. The choice gives you a sense of belonging to a certain group of people who enjoy the same type of fashion. Thus, you have to take it seriously to spend some amount of money on clothes.

 

The second view

1.       As the saying goes, you cannot judge a book by its cover. What counts more is one’s personality, not what he or she wears. Money and energy should be spent on self-improvement. A good appearance would follow later naturally. 

 

2.       Fashion is part of the industry or the economic activity. Advertisements make many of us buy more than what we need. Spending much money on fashion is a result of brainwashing of consumerism.

 

3.       Fashion is not eternal. Its trend changes every year. You should be focused more on something that lasts forever such as art, science, or politics.

 

 

☆Sample Body Structure

【Thesis】Although I know the sentiment in the relation between being dressed well and high spirit that Emma points out, I agree with Tim in terms of the importance to expand horizon.

【Supporting Details】As far as I know, knowledge of fashion is inversely proportional to how interesting the person is. Most people who are dressed extremely well and utter various brand names talk about little else. On the other hand, people who never make others bored with their talks full of knowledge and experiences are dressed plainly, some in a very cool way even though they wear no brand names.

【Counterargument-treatment】Of course, fashion is part of culture, even regarded as an art, and so there are pandits who talk about fashion as part of their rich faculty. However, fashion is merely a part of their education, a result of spending their resources on learning other more significant things like history, literature, music, and fine art. They have never prioritized fashion in their lives. To do so is to put the horse before the cart.

【Conclusion】Thus, I believe that to invest resources in improvement of the inner self is better as a lifestyle.

(190 words)