Fashionably Fit, Article Critique Example

Introduction

Technological advancement has impacted different industries in ways that cannot be reversed. The fashion industry is one of the beneficiaries of online marketing and the use of social media platforms. It is essential to understand the impact of social media platforms on brands, the fashion industry, and consumers. For this paper, I will critically analyze three articles from different authors. I will summarize the articles, discuss the methodologies and findings, the implication of the results, and discuss these articles’ strengths and weaknesses. Although the reports are different and each discusses other areas in the fashion industry, they all touch on the significance of social media platforms on the fashion industry and the consumers. The selected articles are relevant and disclose essential information that will aid in future research.

“Fashionably Fit”

Barry and Martin (2016) wrote an article, “Fashionably Fit: Young Men’s Dress Decisions and Appearance Anxieties,” that gives detailed information on social media influencers on men’s fashion. Over the years, style is often seen as a women’s domination, and hardly anything is ever said about men. This article discusses social media’s influence on men and explains how dressing mode impacts men’s feelings, thoughts, and bodies. Social media has both negative and positive effects concerning men’s fashion. On the positive side, men are now exposed to new trends and are open to trying new and diverse items, including shape wears. They are influenced by celebrities and models who they look up to on these social media platforms. On the negative side, there is too much pressure on social media that can cause anxiety. If one is not careful, comparing oneself to their peers could affect their esteem and result in serious mental health issues such as depression. According to theory, when a man’s gender identity is challenged, he reacts with emotional responses that reassert his manhood. The degree to which challenges to masculine status have an effect on gender identity disparity is, however, unknown (Berke et al., 2017). The notion that men have to remain strong regardless of how they feel has affected their mental health over the years. Society needs to embrace diversity and accept that men and women need help to deal with mental illness, regardless of what caused it.

Barry and Martin (2016) used the primary method through the interview to get details on how social media and the current trends affect their fashion sense and feelings. A sampling population of 20 men from different ethnic backgrounds, body shapes, and sexual orientation was used in the study: the research involved an equal number of gay and straight men between 19 and 29. The participants were interviewed in their general fashion sense and were also required to complete demographic surveys. For data retention and accuracy of data collection, all the interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were professionally analyzed, and four significant insights were discovered. Firstly, the interviewees disclosed that how clothes fit in their bodies feed into how they view themselves physically. If the clothes fit perfectly, that would boost the men’s confidence if the clothes are too big or too small, affecting their confidence. Secondly, how men view themselves is primarily influenced by social media. How people perceive their bodies on social media platforms affects their confidence level. Thirdly, what is defined as men’s beauty on social media affects them significantly. Lastly, sexuality affects how men discuss body image matters.

From the findings, it is clear that social media dramatically impacts men’s fashion and equally contributes to how they perceive themselves. Heavy reliance on social media platforms could ultimately affect their self-perception and confidence in the long run. When people feel desperate to show off their bodies for approval, there is a particular body shape that people have termed perfect. Negative or unexpected comments could result in anxiety and depression. It is a serious matter that should not be ignored. Over the years, men have been taught by society to become still, hide or not express their emotional side, but that should come to an end. The research by Barry and Martin (2016) reveals how essential it is to discuss issues like how social media platforms affect or influence what men wear and how they feel about themselves.

Generally, the article by Barry and Martin (2016) was great as it gave detailed information about a topic that is hardly discussed or researched. The major strengths of the article were based on the method of the research and the analysis. The use of the interview was great as information relied on the thoughts and beliefs of the interviewees. The study of the findings was direct to the point and easy to understand. On the negative side, interviews can sometimes be overwhelming. Someone might be afraid to give details since the interview is being recorded. Administering questionnaires would have been less time-consuming, and maybe more honest answers would have been obtained. The article is easy to read and understand, which advantage is. It is also arranged in an orderly manner, including subheadings and at the beginning an abstract that gives a summary of the whole article. It is easy to trace information because of the different sub-headings. The authors have also incorporated various sources, and a reference page is available at the end of the article. The use of explicit images and pictures in the article makes it more enjoyable to read.

“Vivienne Westwood and the Ethics of Consumption Fashion”

Clarke and Holt (2016) wrote a case study titled “Vivienne Westwood and the Ethics of Consuming Fashion,” giving detailed information on Westwood’s influence on consumers. Textiles and clothes are essential components of daily life. It is inconceivable to think of a world without textiles. Clothing accounts for more than 60% of all textiles used and is expected to continue to be the most common application (Dimitrova, 2020, 27). Fashion has developed into a way for people to form their personal and cognitive identities in the twenty-first century. The (fast) fashion industry came as a result of growing demands for large quantities of affordable clothing (Dimitrova, 2020, 27). When discussing ethics, little is said about designers’ or influencers’ ethical impact on what is bought by the consumers. Understanding the value of the products purchased could influence who people buy from and what they are buying. In most cases, purchasing a particular product is influenced by the desire to affect and understand who made the product and what it represents. With the diversity in the fashion industry, trends are changing, and it is challenging to make a decision based on previous tastes and preferences. With these changes, ethical issues emerge. Clothing production involves numerous steps and procedures that threaten not only the ecosystem, but also the people who make and wear the garments. The social costs of producing (fast) fashion include environmental degradation, public health, and human rights violations at any stage of the process. (Dimitrova, 2020, 28).  People believe that shopping more often and purchasing whatever they can is equivalent to living the best life. Designers are working around the clock to ensure that the products align with the trend but do not compromise their ethics. Clarke and Holt (2016) chose to focus on one designer, Westwood, a critic of consumption and an environmental campaigner, to understand the ethical issues.

The methodology used in the case study was a combination of interviews, literature, internal and external documents, and observation methods. Eleven unstructured interviews were conducted, which took approximately 140 minutes. The interviews were recorded and transcribed for data collection. The participants were selected based on their knowledge about Westwood and their consumption of the designers’ clothes. Literature and documents were also used as methods of data collection. The work of Westwood speaks for itself and is highly documented, which made it easier to retract past information. Media reports, articles, scholarly journals, biographies, and newspaper articles were used as secondary sources. The online presence of Westwood was also examined by checking most of her social media platforms and how she influenced her consumers through online media. Informal interviews and data collection through observation was also used as means of data collection. The findings indicated that Westwood consumers are influenced by her great products and her industry’s ethics standards. The consumers are well aware of the fabrics used in the different designs, are aware of the production method, and the final products’ quality. Westwood allows her consumers to be part of her journey. From the response of employee 2, it was clear that even when starting her brand, Westwood did not want consumers to buy her products but wanted them to connect with the history of the product. Through that experience, the customers would trust her brand, which helped her develop customer loyalty over the years. Another employee admits that Westwood was a critique of first fashion and failed to understand why there was a lot of paper wastage. From the findings and analysis, it is clear that Westwood is an ethical designer who not only cares about profits but wants to connect with her consumers.

The use of unstructured interviews was great as it allowed the interviewees to respond to the questions based on their experiences and extensive knowledge about Westwood. The combination of both primary and secondary data collection methods allowed the researchers to have comprehensive information about the case study. The research includes the actual interview statements, which makes the data reliable and the authors credible. The articles used for the case study are credible and trustworthy. The authors have also used sub-headings, which makes reading more straightforward, and at the beginning included an abstract that gave a summary of the article. On the negative side, the report lacks essential persuasive elements such as logos or charts to prove certain aspects. The article ends with the authors’ brief biographies, adding to their credibility.

“An Examination of Contemporary Celebrity Endorsement in Fashion”

“An Examination of Contemporary Celebrity Endorsement in Fashion” is an article by Wigley (2015) that discusses celebrities’ role in the fashion industry. Being a competitive industry, brands often seek recognition by having celebrities endorse their products. Sports teams have leveraged big corporate sponsors to become top sports brands. Figure sportsmen research is popular in contemporary sports activity, and it has been carried out in a variety of sports fields and business environment (Dugali? and Lazarevi?, 2017, 435). Celebrities who have a considerable following would either advertise the products or use promotions to inform the followers about the brands. The fashion industry today is enormous on online platforms, which explains the considerable investments in digitalization. Online marketing is one of the strategies that the fashion industry has quickly adopted to ensure that their products are known and accepted in vast and dynamic groups of people. Although the fastest way to make a brand known is by using celebrities, brands see the cost they have to pay for these endorsements. The most popular brands may be willing to get commendations from two or more celebrities, especially when introducing new products to the market. A modern approach for lowering high advertisement costs is to use an athlete’s image in a promotion. This form of promotion has virtually the same results as a sponsorship but at a fraction of the expense, justifying its use (Dugali? and Lazarevi?, 2017, 435). The research by Wigley (2015) mainly focuses on the form of endorsement and the critical functions to promoting the different brands in the fashion industry.

The methodology used in data collection largely depended on primary means through the interview method. Nine professionals from the fashion industry were interviewed, giving detailed information about celebrities’ role in the brand endorsement. The interviews were conducted by marketing professionals and senior managers representing the celebrities and the brands. The talks involved open-ended questions, and an informal tone was used to ensure trust and maximize what the interviewees had to say. In the end, follow-up interviews were conducted for conclusive findings. The author also employed secondary research by using scholarly articles to explain celebrities’ role in the endorsement of fashion lines and brands. From the literature review, it was noted that celebrity endorsements aids in helping the brands in connecting with new and existing clients through celebrity platforms. The celebrity endorsement also aids in reinforcing the brand image and repositioning itself in the market. Celebrities on the right side of their followers would use any product, and the followers would not hesitate to buy the same effect because they have established trust between them. The celebrity endorsement also aids in persuading undecided consumers to purchase particular products, and that, in return, aids in building customer loyalty.

There are several strengths and weaknesses of the research by Wigley (2015). On the positive side, interviews were essential in that the researcher got direct information from the interviewees. However, not much was disclosed much information on the media because of the fashion industry’s competitive nature. Secondly, the interviewees were representatives of the celebrities, which means that the findings were based on their thoughts and experiences rather than personalities. Lastly, the interview was only conducted in Britain, which is likely to focus on the British fashion industry rather than globally. The research population was small. This extensive study required a wider sampling population and maybe other means of data collection such as surveys. Using the surveys would have made it easier to collect more data. The fact that it involved celebrities means, in many cases, the celebrities are not usually available. It could have been easier if the information came directly from them. The positive concern regarding the literature used is that credible sources were utilized. The only thing that I was worried about is the use of ancient sources that might be outdated. The arrangement of the article was incredible. The author began with an abstract, giving brief information about the whole article. The report is also divided into sub-topics, which makes it easy to read and understand. The author also uses charts and figures to further explain critical elements to the readers, which is excellent. At the end of the article, the author presents all the references used and are arranged in alphabetical order as they should be.

Conclusion

From the article’s critique and analysis, it is clear to say that the fashion industry is heavily invested in commercialization and advertisement through social media platforms. The first article discussed by Barry and Martin (2016) brought new insights into the fashion industry that people have been ignoring for ages. The issue of anxiety or mental illness as a result of social media fashion pressure needs to be addressed not just for men but women as well. Although social media has significant positive effects on the fashion industry, we addressed the adverse impact and developed professional and sustainable solutions. The other two articles focused on celebrities’ effect on the fashion industry, and the findings were incredible. I would recommend these articles to the readers and anyone interested in the fashion industry.

References

Barry, B. and Martin, D., 2016. Fashionably fit: Young men’s dress decisions and appearance anxieties. Textile, 14(3), pp.326-347.

Berke, D.S., Reidy, D.E., Miller, J.D. and Zeichner, A., 2017. Take it like a man: Gender-threatened men’s experience of gender role discrepancy, emotion activation, and pain tolerance. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 18(1), p.62.

Clarke, J.S. and Holt, R., 2016. Vivienne Westwood and the ethics of consuming fashion. Journal of Management Inquiry, 25(2), pp.199-213.

Dimitrova, S., 2020. Ethical Fashion. ???????? ?? ????? ?? ???????-?????. ????? ???????????? ?????, 9(3), pp.27-39.

Dugali?, S. and Lazarevi?, S., 2017. The impact of celebrity athlete endorsement on purchasing habits. Facta Universitatis, Series: Physical Education and Sport, pp.435-446.

Wigley, S.M., 2015. An examination of contemporary celebrity endorsement in fashion. International Journal of Costume and Fashion, 15(2), pp.1-17.