Is it really true that teenage girls + media = low self-esteem?
The issue of media’s impact on teenagers has generated a lot of interest in the
last decade. Despite contradictory findings, all researchers agree that teenage
girls as a group are focused on their looks–especially on what they don’t like
about themselves! Marketing departments and ad agencies spend millions each year
targeting teenage girls who spend much of their hard-earned dollars (and their
parents’ hard-earned dollars!) on looking good. Although the message of “girl
power” is prevalent in today’s marketing messages, so is the irrefutable idea
that “sexy” and “thin” are in!
The dieting industry alone generates 40 billion dollars per year in America. If
you believe diets are just for adults, you will be shocked to learn that a
Harvard study (Fat Talk, Harvard University Press) published in 2000 revealed
that 86% of teenage girls are on a diet or believe they should be on one. Diets
are common among both teens and children. According to the National Eating
Disorders Association, 51% of 9 and 10-year-old girls actually feel better about
themselves when on a diet. As a society, our obsession with thin is relatively
new. Most people (especially teens) are shocked to find that sex icon Marilyn
Monroe actually wore a size 14!
But pick up a fashion magazine today and you’ll find models who are thinner than
98% of all the girls and women in America. Turn on a television and see ‘sexy’
celebrities such as Shania Twain, Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson baring
their flesh. It is these role models who have become the standard of what is in
vogue in the twenty-first century.
Do Teenage Girls have Low Self-esteem because of Media?
One of the most fascinating shows on self-image for teens was aired on Discovery
Channel’s “Sex Files” program (Episode 12: Girl Power). During the show, they
reported on eating disorders on the island of Fiji. In 1995, this tropical
paradise had only 3 percent of girls with eating disorders in 1995.
Then western television programs were introduced, including “hits” such as ER,
Melrose Place and Xena: Warrior Princess. Three years later, the eating
disorders in girls on the island rose to 15%. A surprising follow-up study
reported 74% of Fijian girls feeling “too fat or big” and 62% had dieted in the
last month–surprising in a culture that typically upholds curvaceous women as
beautiful.
Five Ways to Ensure Media Does Not Contribute To Low Self-esteem in Teenage
Girls
Fortunately, parents have a huge impact on a teenage girl’s self-esteem–more so
than even the media. Thus, there is much we as parents can do to ensure our
teenage girls’ self-esteem soars! Here are five helpful parenting tips:
1. Encourage and Support Your Daughter’s Achievements and Passions. Focus
on what it is that your teenage daughter is good at. If she enjoys math, animals
or singing, support her. Acknowledge the presence of pretty girls in the media
with, “Obviously outward beauty is one of her gifts. You’ve got many gifts
yourself!” Then name these gifts as well as you can.
2. Help your Daughter Get in Touch with Reality. We are bombarded with
perfect idealized models of what a woman should look like. But the fact is less
than 1% of the girls out there will ever become a super model. Besides, no one
can compete with computer airbrushing! Share these facts with your daughter. And
please note that if you are complaining about your own “thunder thighs”, this
message is going straight to your daughter’s heart. Make a commitment to raise
your own self-image. No one, including you, is perfect. It is our imperfections
that actually make us human. Having the courage to be imperfect makes our life
easier and much more joyful.
3. Focus on a Healthy Lifestyle – The less junk food you keep around the
house, the less you and your family will eat it! Do you and your family a
favor–stock up on the healthy stuff and refrain from insisting on second
helpings. If the scale in your home is a bit of an obsession, consider tossing
it out. Instead focus on how well and how healthy each of you feels instead.
4. Contribute to Others – Our preoccupation with our own weight can be
positively transformed when we start focusing on others. Volunteerism boosts
self-esteem. Volunteer as a family, bring a smile to others, and you’ll all be
reminded of how truly fortunate you are.
5. Encourage Dad to Pay Attention in a Positive Way – Help Dad understand
how detrimental well intentioned teasing about weight or looks can be. Encourage
him to spend time with his daughter focusing on all the things that she is great
at.
It is sad that many teenage girls and women believe that they need to be someone
other than who they truly are. It is time to come clean for ourselves, for the
race of woman and for our children, by beginning to love the person we are–flaws
and all. Embracing our imperfection gives us the opportunity to see all the
awesome things about ourselves: to acknowledge that we do have nice eyes, nice
breasts, nice legs, nice whatever! And as we stop hiding our flaws, suddenly our
psychological zits will become the beauty marks that make us stand out from the
crowd.
Colourful fashion trends of India
With the end of the 20th century came the end of all hype which has created a more practical and pragmatic environment and has given a more stable picture of the fashion business.
In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario wasn’t exactly colorless. It was exciting, stylish and very graceful. There were no designers, models, star or fashion design labels that the country could show off. The value of a garment was judged by its style and fabric and not by who made it.
It was regarded as ever so chic and fashionable to approach any unfamiliar tailor, who could make a garment for a few rupees, providing the perfect fit, finish and style. The high society lady, who wore it, was proud for getting a good bargain and for giving her name to the end result.
In 60s, tight ‘kurtas’, ‘churidars’ and high coiffures were a trend among ladies. It was an era full of naughtiness and celebration in arts and music and cinema, manifested by liberation from restriction and acceptance of new types of materials such as plastic film and coated polyester fabric.
The 70s witnessed an increase in the export of traditional materials outside the country as well as within. Hence, international fashion arrived in India much before the MTV culture with the bold colors, flower prints and bell-bottoms. Synthetics turned trendy and the disco culture affected the fashion scenario.
It was in the early 80s when the first fashion store ‘Ravissant’ opened in Mumbai. At that time garments were retailed for a four-figure price tag. The ’80s was the era of self consciousness and American designers like Calvin Klein became popular. In India too, silhouettes became more masculine and the ‘salwar kameez’ was designed with shoulder pads.
With the evolution of designer stores in Mumbai, the elegant fashion design culture was a trend among Indians along with their heavy price tags. No doubt that a garment with a heavy price tag was at the bottom stage of fashion. But clients immediately transformed into the high fashion fold where they were convinced that that the word ‘elegant fashion design culture’ means, it had to have a higher price tag.
Garments were sold at unbelievable prices only because the designers had decided to get themselves noticed by making showy outfits and getting associated with the right shows, celebrities and events.
Later, fashion shows shifted to competitive events each attempting to out-do the other in theme, guest list and media coverage. For any newcomer, the fashion business was the number one professional art that time.
In the 90′s, the last decade of the millennium, a move towards the drastic pairing down returned with ethnic wears (Today, ethnic wear market in India is accounted to Rs. 9000 crore). This led to the decline and the recession, the push to sell at any cost and keep staying in the limelight. With heavy cut throat competition and sound awareness of the client, the inevitable occurred. The price tags, which had once reached at a peak, began their downside journey.
At those times the downturn was not only being experienced in the price tags of the garments, but also in the business of fashion shows. More models, choreographers, make-up men, hairstylists and designers streamed down into their business.
The fun and party time in the Indian fashion scenario had not ended with this, but continued. It was a point, where it reached at a certain steady level and from there, in the beginning of the 21st centaury, with new designers and models and some sensible designing; the fashion hype accelerated its speed.
Indian fashion industry spreads its wings globally
For the global fashion industry, India is a very big exporter of fabrics and accessories. All over the world, Indian ethnic designs and materials are considered as a significant facet for the fashion houses and garment manufacturers. In fabrics, while sourcing for fashion wear, India also plays a vital role as one of the biggest players in the international fashion arena.
India’s strengths not only depend on its tradition, but also on its raw materials. World over, India is the third largest producer of cotton, the second largest producer of silk and the fifth largest producer of man-made fibres.
In the international market, the Indian garment and fabric industries have many fundamental aspects that are compliant, in terms of cost effectiveness to produce, raw material, quick adjustment for selling, and a wide ranges of preference in the designs in the garments like with sequin, beadwork, aari or chikkon embroidery etc, as well as cheaper skilled work force. India provides these fashion garments to the international fashion houses at competitive prices with shorter lead time and an effective monopoly in designs which covers elaborated hand embroidery – accepted world over.
India has always been considered as a default source in the embroidered garment segment, but the changes of rupee against dollar has further decreased the prices, thereby attracting buyers. So the international fashion houses walk away with customized stuff, and in the end crafted works are sold at very cheap rates.
As far as the market of fabrics is concerned, the ranges available in India can attract as well as confuse the buyer. A basic judgmental expectation in the choosing of fabrics is the present trend in the international market. Much of the production tasks take place in parts of the small town of Chapa in the Eastern state of Bihar, a name one would have never even heard of. Here fabric making is a family industry, the ranges and quality of raw silks churned out here belie the crude production methods and equipment used- tussars, matka silks, phaswas, you name it and they can design it. Surat in Gujarat, is the supplier of an amazing set of jacquards, moss crepes and georgette sheers – all fabrics utilized to make dazzling silhouettes demanded world over. Another Indian fabric design that has been specially designed for the fashion history is the “Madras check” originally utilized for the universal “Lungi” a simple lower body wrap worn in Southern India, this product has now traversed its way on to bandannas, blouses, home furnishings and almost any thing one can think of.
Recently many designers have started using traditional Indian fabrics, designs and cuts to enhance their fashion collections. Ethnic Indian designs with batik cravat, tie-and-dye or vegetable block print is ‘in’ not just in India but all across the world.
In India, folk embroidery is always associated with women. It is a way of their self expression, and they make designs that depict their native culture, their religion and their desires. Women embroider clothes for their personal use, and the people linked with the pastoral profession prepare embroidered animal decorations, decorative covers for horns and foreheads and the Rabaris of Kutch in Gujarat do some of the finest embroidery. Embroidered pieces are made during the festivals and marriages, which are appliqu
The world is a global village. It’s getting smaller day by day. Centuries ago, there were only a few ways of communication. As centuries passed, these ways grew. Time passed and the inventions related to this industry came up. After the arrival of printing press, the newspaper made an impact in the world of communication, providing information from the around the world. People got to know about different cultures of the world. Radio and television was next in this line and provided information in a whole new way. With newspaper, people got information very late. But with television and radio, this process became faster. In the end of twentieth century, computer and internet became a part of this field and now, the internet is considered the most reliable and fastest way of communicating.
These are some of the ways of communication. The different sources of information provide us news, from all around the world, 24 hours a day. From a football match to the weather change, everything is news. Someone described news in this way. “If a dog bites a man, it’s not news but if a man bites a dog, that’s news.” So this specialty is considered a news item. Everyone wants something different to see and hear.
We all see and hear different types of ads everyday, on radio, television, internet, and on the roads (in the shape of billboards). These ads are also part of communication. We see and hear different messages in these ads, which teaches us something or convince us in one way or another. Movies, songs and everything in between is part of information and communication. That’s how the world communicates.