Fashion Trends Are Difficult to Follow These Days - IELTS Task 2 Essays

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Model Essay 1

Fashion today often appears as a mercantile engine rather than a pure expression of taste: trends cycle faster, marketing budgets grow larger, and consumption seems incentivised above all. I largely agree that many contemporary fashions are engineered to stimulate purchases, and consequently people should prioritise personal comfort and authentic style over slavish trend-following. I will first examine how industrial forces manufacture fads and then argue why deliberate, comfort-led dressing is both psychologically healthier and more sustainable, while acknowledging pragmatic exceptions.

The fashion industry undeniably cultivates transience. Corporations and influencers propagate narrowly defined aesthetics each season, transforming minor variations into perceived necessities; this planned impermanence encourages constant replacement rather than thoughtful ownership. Social media algorithms amplify this effect, rewarding novelty and creating peer pressure to emulate ephemeral looks. The result is not merely aesthetic homogenisation but environmental and economic waste: garments discarded after a few wears, and consumers stretched thin trying to "keep up." A vivid example is the proliferation of low-cost, trend-driven collections that mimic high-fashion motifs yet are manufactured with negligible longevity. Thus, many trends function less as cultural signals and more as sophisticated sales strategies, which weakens the argument for following them uncritically.

Conversely, dressing for comfort and individual preference yields tangible benefits. When clothing choices align with one's lifestyle, body, and values, they foster self-assurance and decrease decision fatigue; consider the now-familiar capsule wardrobe concept or public figures who adopt signature looks to simplify choices while projecting authenticity. Moreover, favouring durable, versatile garments mitigates environmental harm and often proves economically superior over time. That said, context matters: certain professions and social occasions legitimately demand conformity to norms. The prudent approach is therefore selective — retain professional appropriateness where required, but reject the illusion that every seasonal tweak is a moral or cultural imperative.

In sum, while fashion will continue to be shaped by commercial incentives, individuals are best served by prioritising comfort, longevity, and personal coherence. Rejecting blind trend-following is not anti-fashion but a mature, sustainable engagement with how we present ourselves.

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Model Essay 2

Fashion trends are often criticised as superficial cycles created solely to boost sales, yet this view oversimplifies the complex cultural and social functions that trends fulfil. I completely disagree with the claim that people should avoid following fashion and dress only for comfort; in fact, trends offer meaningful benefits. This essay will argue that fashion plays a vital role in cultural expression and social identity, and that trends can meaningfully enhance individuality rather than undermine it.

The first reason fashion trends should not be dismissed is that they function as a dynamic cultural language through which societies express change, creativity, and shared values. Trends are not merely commercial tactics; they reflect technological advancement, artistic movements, and shifts in collective attitudes. For instance, the rise of sustainable fabrics such as bamboo blends and recycled synthetics is not driven by profit alone but by a wider moral recognition of environmental responsibility. Even historical shifts—like the move from rigid Victorian attire to more relaxed silhouettes in the twentieth century—mirrored evolving ideas about freedom and gender equality. When people participate in these trends, they are not blindly consuming; they are engaging in a cultural dialogue that shapes how societies understand modernity, identity, and progress.

Additionally, following trends can strengthen personal expression rather than suppress it. While critics argue that trends create uniformity, the opposite is often true: trends provide a varied palette from which individuals can construct nuanced versions of themselves. Contemporary fashion cycles, especially in the digital era, show high diversification rather than homogeneity, with micro-trends allowing people to align themselves with communities that share their aesthetic values, such as minimalists, vintage enthusiasts, or streetwear collectors. Moreover, trends encourage experimentation, pushing individuals to step beyond habitual choices and refine their sense of style. Fashion in this sense operates like language: although we share grammar, each speaker forms unique sentences. Likewise, trends offer structure without limiting originality.

In conclusion, far from being manipulative tools for selling clothing, fashion trends reflect cultural transformation and offer individuals a richer means of self-expression. For these reasons, following trends—selectively and thoughtfully—should be seen as a meaningful engagement with both society and one’s own evolving identity.

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