In the high school demographic, teenagers gravitate towards trends and specific brand names to fit into the standard of what is considered popular. 

Oftentimes, people will pick style over function. Assuming that more expensive items are higher quality, students often go for the prestige that comes with a name brand item rather than something that will last longer. As trends come and go, brands and clothes fade in and out of popularity. A sneaker with great arch support and comfort is less preferred than a shoe that is well known. 

Fashion teacher Arline Pryor shares her thoughts on how people select different brands. “Why do we wear clothes? Protection, status, all that. If you know your parents have always had this particular kind of thing and it always worked, then you’re more likely to choose the same thing you saw. It’s loyalty, or it’s because of experience you choose the same brand,” said Pryor. 

Items are often bought purely for the name. Fashion statements often include the brand name advertised on the front in large letters in order to draw attention towards the company when popular. Meanwhile, knock-offs are frowned upon because they falsely represent the brand as a lookalike. 

With the popularity associated with brand names, companies are able to markup their prices in order to prey on the vulnerabilities of teenage insecurities. Students want to fit in, so they spend extra money on items that are considered popular, only for the trend to fade out in a month or so. The cycle continues with no end in sight. You have to learn to simply not care and dress for yourself. 

With the rise in thrifting, name brands have become less prevalent in fashion, as more unique pieces are valued over price and expense. The value of the clothes isn’t solely dependent on price or name anymore. There is a certain freedom of expression that has become the new version of popular, which doesn’t force anyone to put themselves in a box. 

“In fashion, it’s about, ‘what are we doing with this brand?’ Am I going to try to impress my friends so I might want designer things or something known to be expensive? [It’s about] your income, needs, wants,” said Pryor. 

Often, brands that are popular are simply run by the biggest companies with the most funds for advertising. It is very rare that a brand name is known for being the best product because it is the best. Companies like Forever21 and Shein are part of the fast fashion industry, popular for the sake of convenience and availability. These items rarely last long for the money spent, and they may include cheap dyes and stains. Quality no longer contains any value, but it should. Spending money on a more expensive brand name item can be replaced with purchasing a higher quality item that will last longer and achieve a greater effect.