I remember a time when the average teenage male would have died of shame if they were told they dressed like a woman. Now I look around and I have to keep out a keen eye for any teen male who isn’t adorned in fluoros, pastels and skin-hugging pedal-pushers. Whatever happened to being a man?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not challenging the right to personal style. But this isn’t personal style, this is conformism. Style could be defined as one’s expression of their personality through the clothing and accessories they choose to wear. However ‘style’ is now defined simply as what’s in the stores. People don’t wear these clothes as a reflection of their personality; they wear them because everyone else does.
According to Mission Australia’s recent national survey of young people aged 11–24, the biggest worry for young people is how their body looks. This concern was listed on average, higher than concerns of family conflict and coping with stress. But it’s not just the state of our bodies that concerns us. Young people are continuously comparing not only their dress size, but their hair, clothing, skin colour, nose shape, biceps, girlfriends and boyfriends.
This obsession with material perfection is further fuelling the self confidence issues of young people—as well as the financial insecurity of their parents. So why are we always wanting more from ourselves, and why are we losing our individuality in the process?
Advertisements for beauty products and fashion are practically inescapable and force us to face fake and unrealistic depictions of beauty. Young people begin comparing themselves to their peers, and lose their sense of self along the way. According to Children Youth and Women’s Health Services, a lack of confidence in teens can cause a longing to fit in with their peers. This may result in young people joining popular sub-cultures and adopting a sense of self that isn’t their own.
Two of the most conformist-driven sub-cultures entering the streets nowadays include emos and metros. But what exactly are they? And why do young people want to conform to them?
Emos—what are they, and what do they do?
According to an emo culture website, realpunkrockdiva.com, Gen Y is getting fed up with the ‘materialistic and commercialised’ world we live in, which is why the emo movement is increasing in numbers around the world, which seems slightly contradictory when the same site describes the strict criteria of being an emo. According to realpunkrockdiva.com, the emo style entails the following:
- Dyeing your hair black
- Cutting your hair so that your long side-fringe covers one eye
- Often incorporating other bright colours into this hairstyle
- Wearing tight black skinny jeans, studded belts, trendy t-shirts or band shirts
- Having piercings in obscure places—the more the better!
- And of course, wearing large amounts of black eyeliner—often artistically drawn or deliberately
- Smudged to give the appearance that you have been crying
According to a section called ‘How to be an emo’ on the site RateEmo.Com, the emo culture is more than a music genre or fashion. It is a lifestyle and a mindset that allows adolescents to express the emotions that come naturally to teenagers, without holding back. But the matter-of-fact tone of the criteria in these websites really sells out their idea of ridding the world of materialism, commercialism and conformity. Becoming emo is almost like joining a club. There are rules and regulations as well as common beliefs and interests. Defying these beliefs and interests is like defying your club, and you risk being labelled a poser or fake. So teens feel greater pressure to stay a part of their sub-culture for fear of becoming an outcast.
Metros—why are boys dressing like girls?
Another trend which has graced society with its presence is the metro-sexual style, often abbreviated as metro. Teenage boys are now opting for pedal-pushers rather than board shorts, pastels rather than primary colours, and tight fluoro t-shirts rather than wife-beaters.
Perhaps the easiest way to explain the appeal is by getting a first-person account.
Luke, 16, says that when shopping for clothes or accessories, he looks for clothes that stand out and look good on him. When asked if he considered himself to be a ‘metro’ he said ‘well not really me, but the clothing I wear is metro—it looks good.’
So are teens choosing to wear styles that reflect their personalities? Luke says that some of the clothes he wears—in particular, pink and V-neck shirts—reflect his personality in that they say ‘hey I’m outgoing, talk to me’.
But does sexuality come into it? Well, Luke says that wearing these clothes makes him feel more like a man, because he is wearing something different. And when asked if he really thinks he is wearing something different if all the other boys are wearing it, he replied with ‘well I wouldn’t know if they are. I don’t really check out the guys, sorry.’
So if you’re happy wearing these clothes, what’s the problem?
Psychologist Muriel Cooper says that self image is how individuals see themselves in the world. It constitutes what you think about yourself and who you think you are. However, self image is often affected by what we think other people think about us. It’s usually here that teens come unstuck. They begin adopting new personality traits and style, simply to fit in with everyone else.
By comparing ourselves to our friends and peers, we face a never-ending war against ourselves as we fight for perfection—an unrealistic, and, come to think of it, down-right undesirable goal. But it’s not until we can accept ourselves and live with what we’ve been given that we will find real confidence.
How do I know this?
1. Better Health, Body image issues for men,
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/
Body_image_issues_for_men
2. Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service, Young Adult Health, Body Image,
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=298&id=2086#3
3. ‘How to dress emo’,
http://www.geocities.com/howtodressemo/#ACT
4. Mission Australia, Body image the main concern for young Australians,
http://www.missionaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=42:media-releases&id=215:body-image-main-concern-for-young-australians&Itemid=102
5. News.com.au, ‘Gender in the Blender’
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/
0,26278,23400995-5007192,00.html
6. Ninemsn, MusicFix, ‘What is “emo” and why is everyone always talking about it?’
http://music.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=182263
7. What is Emo?
www.rateemo.com
8. Realpunkrockdiva.com, Emo Info Page,
http://www.realpunkrockdiva.com/id47.html
9. The Dove Self Esteem Fund, Media Release April 2007,
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com.au/dove-self-esteem-fund/pdfs/Dove_Global_Study_2007.pdf
10. The Talking Room, Self-esteem, Self-image and Self-confidence,
http://www.talkingroom.com.au/content/view/26/2/
