Celebrity Culture in American Culture

In our culture, one of the most important and constant influences on everyday, popular fashion is the world of celebrities. Every red carpet show essentially determines the “hot color” of the season, and many of the year’s trends in hairstyles, jewelry, and clothing silhouettes are revealed during these events. As soon as our favorite celebrities walk onto that colorful carpet, our focus is completely dedicated to every little detail of their ensemble; we love to praise all of the gorgeous designs, and sometimes we get even more enjoyment out of critiquing some of the stranger decisions. And although we are all curious about who the designer is, there reaches a point where we almost don’t care. We have associated that outfit with that celebrity, and the designer is often overlooked and ignored.

I have often wondered why so many average people (myself included, of course!) place so much stock in what celebrities wear. There are tons of people who have become famous simply because of what they have to say about red carpet outfits, and even more who have become rich because they can take pictures of celebrities in their everyday attire. I believe that our culture has become so obsessed with celebrities, people who seem to be somehow better than us because of their supposed skills, that we cling to their every style choice and struggle to emulate them to the best of our ability as if this we bring us closer to them. And maybe what we really want is to be closer to being them. Maybe if we can emulate their style, we can somehow begin to live their success and their seemingly glamorous lifestyle.

Our fascination with celebrities has been ever increasing for decades, and there is no sign of it fading any time soon. Honestly, I do not really want this to change; I, too, find great enjoyment in following celebrities’ lives and examining their fashion choices. However, I must try to insist that our culture begins to pay more attention to the individual designers, and not just the celebrities who support them. After all, they are the ones who are truly talented. So next time you see your favorite celebrity on your television screen, instead of getting caught up in how fabulous they look, make sure to take note of the designer who helped them to be that way.

Man-orexia

Many people are still unaware of the major problem in our culture of anorexia in males, often referred to as man-orexia. Obviously, this issue is well known when dealing with women, but in our changing times, more and more men are beginning to be affected; ABC News has reported that an estimated 1 million American men suffer from this disease.

I personally find it incredibly interesting that men are feeling the urge to change their bodies so drastically. For years, women have claimed that their eating disorders began because of the skewed perceptions of beauty in our culture: the impossibly thin runway models, the air brushed and dolled up celebrities. So what has caused this rise in male eating disorders? Has the male standard of attractiveness changed?

I would argue that the answer is definitely yes. More and more male celebrities appear in interviews and on the red carpet as stick-thin, lean figures opposed to the overtly muscular men of the past. In fact, by today’s standards, many of the jocks and body builders of the world look rather absurd; they seem out of place in the sophisticated and slender world that we now inhabit. As people transition toward a more sleek, streamlined, and efficient world with our technology and our general view, the overall perceptions of the people in this world are changing, too. Is it now okay and often preferable for men to be very thin; oftentimes in the media these skinny men are portrayed to be much more intellectual and sensitive than the stereotype of the muscled meathead. As men are bombarded with as many images as women about being in shape, attractive, suave, and, most of all, thin, body image problems are becoming more of an issue for them.

It is a sad fact of our culture that we value such ridiculous beauty standards for people of both genders, but I like to think that this is changing. As laws about model’s weights begin to be passed and more and more celebrities are embracing healthy body shapes, it seems as if the perceptions of beauty are in a transitional period, and I truly believe that soon things will change for the better; a plus-size woman even just recently won the competition for America’s Next Top Model. But in the mean time, it is important for people to remember that not everyone needs to fit the impossible standards of beauty that so much of the world adheres to; it is so much more important to be healthy. So, at the risk of sounding like an after-school special, if you or anyone you know is suffering from a problem like anorexia, go get help. There’s no need to hurt or judge yourself, and there are plenty of people that will understand your troubles and can help!

Comformity, Uniformity...

In one of my earlier posts about ridicule and self-esteem, a question was raised in the comments section about school uniforms, so I would like to address that topic now.

Personally, I am against the idea of school uniforms. I understand the benefit of helping children who do not have as much money or traditional fashion sense to appear like the other children and avoid ridicule, but I do not think that this positive outweighs the negative aspects. Firstly, I truly think that fashion helps people express who they are; each decision about an article of clothing that a person puts on is made by choice, and the composite is that person’s way of introducing themselves to the world that day. Although many people overlook the importance of this on a daily basis, it is an important process for a person to go through, and it can be a very creative and freeing experience even if the person does not think about it too in depth. Secondly, from personal experience I think that any ridicule that a person may receive can often help them to grow as a person. Learning to channel that negative energy from an outside source into positive energy within yourself is an important life lesson, and it can make people stronger than they were before. It may be difficult at the time for a child to understand this—I know it was for me at the time (see my post entitled “…And Who Hurt You?”)—but ultimately the experience can help them to learn that it doesn’t really matter what other people think about them as long as they feel good about themselves. This type of confidence is an important thing to have in life, and if clothing can help students to get to that point in any way at all, it should not be restricted in a school setting.

Although I do not agree with the concept of school uniforms, I do believe every elementary and high school institutions should uphold a certain dress code. Some things, like hats or midriff-baring shirts, are simply inappropriate for school and could easily cause distractions among other students. But ultimately, I believe that using your clothing to express who you are is an important process at this age, since this is precisely when people start to become individuals and find their own stride in life. I don’t see any real benefit from restricting people’s personal style. Uniforms make everyone look the same, but people are definitely not all the same, so they should get to express this through their clothing.

Tie-Dying Madness!!!

So as the school year comes to a close, my Honors Humanities program decided to come together and tie-dye shirts... Always a solid good time!
We all had a really great time, although it was harder than anticipated to keep a decent amount of dye readily available. But the real fun arose when we had to wash the excess dye out in our dormitory sinks. Yes, it was as messy and chaotic as it sounds.
So my roommate, our neighbors and I set out to the bathroom for over an hour to wash out our fabulous new shirts, and it was utterly exhausting (but still fun). It was also completely worth it... Now we have new shirts and new memories!
I recommend this activity to everyone. But try your best to keep it clean!

Gay, or European?

Let’s face it: Europe is just more fashionable than America. Most of the world’s fashion capitals exist overseas, and many of the most prominent and innovative designers have centered their businesses in these cities. Basically any trend that hits America ran through Europe first, and women all around the world look to Europe to be their style inspiration. However, this standard is very different for men’s fashion. European men are always “dressed up” in neat and high quality clothing; casual t-shirts and baggy jeans are taboo. Nice clothing is the European standard, and as described in countless America movies and songs, women respond well to this metrosexual style (honestly, who doesn’t love David Beckham?). But as soon as this style is applied to an American man, suspicions about his sexual orientation arise; it seems as if it is impossible for a man to follow the European fashion trends without being questioned. As Legally Blonde: The Musical! insightfully asks in its song “There! Right There!”, is a metrosexual man gay, or simply European?

Why are women so encouraged to follow European fashions while men are automatically labeled as a stereotype? Why did this double standard arise in the first place? Have we Americans distanced ourselves so much from our Europeans ancestors that comparisons between our men are now impossible? Have we become so lazy that we assume that any man who puts any substantial amount of effort into his appearance must stray from the heterosexual norm, as well?

I fear the answer must be closest to the last suggestion. It has become so acceptable for people to walk around in casual attire that anyone who doesn’t is assumed to be entirely different from the norm. This is a horrible assumption to make, and it is sad that our culture has so discouraged men from caring about their appearance. It should be just as acceptable for men to follow the fashion trends as women, and people should definitely not discourage this change. Imagine the better impression America would give if the male stereotype were a suave, well-dressed man opposed to a lazy, beer-guzzling one in a dirty T-shirt. The difference could be astounding.

Fashion Therapy

As horrible as it is, we all have days when we don’t feel so great about ourselves. We’re not sick, and we’re not exhausted, we just don’t feel good; for whatever reason, there are days that we feel less attractive or energetic than normal. In the past, oftentimes my way to deal with this was to throw on a sweatshirt and do as little as possible all day long. However, I am here to say that there is a better way to deal with this problem… Shocking, I know, but true. My solution, which has been proven to be true on many an occasion, is (drum roll please)… Put effort into your appearance and go do something. I know this may be the last thing you feel like doing on such a day, but I promise you will feel better soon!


I discovered this trick during my senior year of high school; I had been fighting with a friend of mine and I was completely emotionally drained for a few weeks. I woke up one morning and decided that shuffling through the days in a sweatshirt was no doing anything to help my mood, so I decided to put on a cute dress, high heels, and make up for the first time in quite a while. I looked in the mirror and immediately felt better; that may sound shallow, but if you think about it, I felt better because I finally put some time into myself instead of worrying about the exterior problems in my life. I focused on me, and felt better. Then when I got to school, people even reacted to me differently; I looked cheerier and more approachable, so people were more willing to start a conversation with me. Later that night, when I thought about my day, I realized that it was the best day I had had in a long time. It didn’t fix the problems I was having with my friend or anything that drastic, but it put me in better spirits, and there’s a lot to be said for that.

So every since that experience, the days that I feel the worst are the days I put the most effort into my appearance. Spending time on yourself is an important part of life that many people often forget; in our fast paced and stressful culture, it always seems as if something is more important. But ultimately, the most important thing in your life is you, so if you feel good, your whole life is looking up. So if you’re having a rough day, subscribe to fashion therapy; it always works for me!

The Perfect Dress...

Prom: a beautiful, yet stressful part of the high school experience. Girls look forward to this day for months on end, and there is an incredible amount of pressure to have a perfect night, with the perfect date, the perfect hairstyle, and, of course, the perfect dress. I have gone through this absurdly stressful time twice in my life, and now many of my friends who are still in high school are going through the motions of it again. Many of them have been worrying all year about this one night, and talking to them has caused me to wonder about the emphasis put on clothing. Why do we have a tendency to feel that if we don’t have the perfect outfit, we won’t have the perfect night? Isn’t the important thing the amount of fun that we have?

I was so concerned about loving my dress and looking different from everyone else at prom that I ultimately made my dress for both junior and senior prom. This process added another ton or two of stress to my already heavy load, since I was dealing with class and homework, my date, my friends, the limo situation, and the after prom party, and yet I decided that it was completely worth it so that I could have the prom dress of my dreams. But when I look back on prom, I think of all the amazing memories and laughs that stem from that night, not what everyone was wearing. And yet, at the time, my dress was the most important part.

I suppose that we worry so much about our dresses because in a way, it sets the tone for the night; the better we feel about ourselves, the more likely we are to be in a good mood and have fun all night long. And, since I’m obsessed with fashion, you could probably guess that I will always think that the dress is important. But although the prom dress is a staple in the high school experience, it is important to remember that it’s not the most important staple in the box! The memories are more important, so don’t let the little things stress you out. Be calm, cool and collected at all times, and you’ll feel better about the whole experience, regardless of your dress.


Besides, if you stress too much, you’ll lose sleep and get bags under your eyes, and that will definitely ruin the pictures!