Fashion

Do this questionnaire to decide whether you are fashion conscious or you are a fashion victim.

1. How much time do you spend in front of the mirror in the morning? More than five minutes. Less than five minutes. I prefer not to look in the mirror in the morning. 2. Why do you like your clothes? Because they are comfortable. Because they say something about the sort of person I am. I don’t like my clothes. 3. What do you usually wear? Jeans and a T-shirt. Whatever’s in fashion. What I feel like wearing. 4. When you meet someone for the first time, what do you notice first? Their eyes and hands. Their shoes. Their character. You see the pair of trousers you want.They are beautiful – but you haven’t got much money. What do you do? I forget about them. I don’t buy them but I dream about them. I buy them and I don’t eat for a week. The colour in fashion this year doesn’t suit you. What do you do? I wear it anyway – it’s in fashion. I don’t wear it. I don’t care about what’s in fashion.

When was the last time you bought something to wear? Less than three days ago. More than three days but less than six months ago. I never buy clothes. My mum/ dad/wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend buys them for me. 8. Why did you buy it? Because I liked it. Because it’s fashionable. Because I need it. 9.What do other people think about your clothes? They think they are smart. They think they are strange. They never notice my clothes. 10.What do you refuse to wear? Clothes that are in fashion. The clothes my mum/dad/wife/ husband/boyfriend/girlfriend buys for me. Clothes that are not in fashion. 11. When you read a newspaper, do you turn to the fashion pages? Yes, I always read the fashion pages. I sometimes look at the pictures. What fashion pages? 12. How would you describe your style of clothes? Fashionable. Not fashionable but “me”. Style? What’s that?

1. a) 3 b) 2 c) 1 2. a) 2 b) 3 c) 1 3. a) 1 b) 3 c) 2

4. a) 2 b) 3 c) 1 5. a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 6. a) 3 b) 2 c) 1

7. a) 3 b) 2 c) 1 8. a) 2 b) 3 c) 1 9. a) 2 b) 3 c) 1

10. a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 11. a) 3 b) 2 c) 1 12. a) 3 b) 2 c) 1

What it means:

You scored 12 to 19: You probably don’t know what this questionnaire is about. You think that there are more important things in life than fashion, but perhaps you are a bit lazy, too. How about going shopping yourself – your mother/ father/wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend has got enough to do!

You scored 20 to 28: Clothes are not the most important thing in your life, but you know what suits you. You have a very personal style but it is always the same. Why don’t you take some risks and try a different style for a change? You are too serious – fashion can be fun!

You scored 29 to 36: You are a fashion victim! Do your friends ever walk on the other side of the road when they go out with you? You know a lot about fashion, but you need to choose the clothes that suit you. There are more important things in life than clothes – try speaking to people and you will be surprised to find that they are nice, even if they are wearing the wrong shoes.

to be in fashion/vogue to go/be out of fashion to come into fashion to follow the fashion to be ahead of fashion to be in the front rank of fashion the latest fashion to be all the fashion to be all the rage to set a fashion to be dressed in the height of fashion fashionable dresser/fashion-monger a woman of fashion fashioner/couturier/fashion designer to be up-to-date to be out-of-date style to dress in style/with great style stylish to imitate smb’s style fashion/vogue magazine fancy jacket/dress well-dressed

trend to set a new trend trendy chic brand-new up-to-the-minute with-it ultra-fashionable avant-garde subtle snazzy tawdry dressy to be dressed to kill to go for bright colours to look drained and washed out to make oneself stand out of the crowd to have a flair (for) to bring one’s eyes out to look wonderful in red/green etc to wear smth to a party to turn glossy

 Reading

1. Read the article and comment on the following:

• What is fashion?

• What is men’s attitude towards women’s fashion?

• What is the peculiarity of men’s fashion?

Fashion

Fashion is an entirely unnecessary and yet delightful detail of human life. No one could contend that a person who did not follow the fashion was lacking in any great mental or moral quality; yet to be in the fashion has given joy in age after age, not only to the women who are thus up-to-date in their costume, but to the men who behold them.

As a rule, men’s attitude towards women’s fashion is one of an amused tolerance. They pretend that they are unable to detect the nice distinctions between the latest model from Paris and a dress that is hopelessly out-of-date. But they are in reality just as eager to conform to the popular idea of what is and what is not worn.

But men’s fashions change slowly, and men, unlike women, like to be the last to leave an old fashion rather than the first to embrace a new. They have no desire either, that their womenfolk should be in the very front rank of fashion. It would make them embarrassed to be seen in public with a woman who was wearing something which caused every eye to be turned upon her. But they like their wives to be dressed as most other women are dressed.

Fashion is an arbitrary mistress to whom most women are slaves, but though her mandates are often unreasonable and not seldom absurd, she is followed willingly, for the reward she offers is that sense of adventure and variety which is the spice of life.

2. Explain the meaning of the uderlined phrases. Give the Ukrainian equivalents to these phrases. Use them in sentences of your own.

Exercise 1

Give the Ukrainian equivalents of the italicised words and phrases.

1. I want my shoes soled and heeled. 2. Small hats are all the fashion now. 3 She always wears hats of the latest fashion. 4. Your friend dresses very well, there is а real style about her clothes. 5. Can you tell me what is the latest style in coats? 6. His dress seemed funny and utterly out-of-date.

Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with the word best suited to the context from those in brackets.

C (cut – fashion – style)

1. He was dressed according to the ………… of his youth.

2. This ………… in hats is out-of-date.

3. My brother has always been fond of the sports ………… in clothes.

4. She didn’t like the severe ………… of the duffel coat.

5. There is no ………… about him.

6. Sleeveless shirts for summer wear are all the ………… now.

7. I like the ………… of your dress.

8. What ………… do you prefer in suits?

Exercise 3

Supply prepositions or adverbs where necessary. Describe what kind of dresser you are.

Are you a fashionable dresser?

I wonder who is not at present! I am keen .... fashion. I always know what is ..... fashion and what is .... ... it, what is coming .... fashion and what is going .... .... it. I never wear anything which is ..... of fashion. But I must admit – to follow..... the fashion takes time, money and effort. Fashionable dressers usually set .... a fashion and wear hats, coats, shoes, etc. which are all .... the rage (the latest fashion). I like the people who dress .... style (..... great style).

Exercise 4

Choose the right answer.

1. Everyone else was so smartly dressed that I felt embarrassed in my chic/with-it/

shabby clothes.

2. Short skirts are in form/vogue/mode again.

3. Those new dresses may be striking but that sort of model/form/fashion doesn’t

suit everyone.

4. My sister has an excellent flavour/taste/choice in clothes.

5. She wanted to buy a modern dress, she didn’t want an old- styled/shaped/

fashioned one.

6. Some of the young people in my town go for/go out with/go through with very

strange haircuts.

7. She likes to dress in fashion/in style/in taste.

8. She always tries to be all the fashion/to follow the fashion/to be the latest fashion.

Exercise 5

Name the styles of clothes that you see in the pictures and describe them in detail. 6

• Which of the following items of clothing can you see in the pictures? Which of them do you consider to be

• fashionable now?

• old-fashioned?

• always fashionable?

• Is there anything omitted that you feel is definitely fashionable now?

denim jeans trousers with turn-ups pin-striped trousers leggings pleated skirt beret stiletto heels

waistcoat sheepskin coat wide-brimmed hat silk stockings mini skirt faded denim jacket canvas shoes

flared trousers straight skirt leg warmers polo-neck sweater trainers T-shirt baggy jumper

ankle socks frilly dress blazer woolly tights frayed jeans duffel coat

• Which of the clothes in the list do you like?

 Speaking

What clothes do you wear when you :

• go to the university or work?

• spend a lazy day at home?

• go to the beach?

• go camping?

• go out in the evening (disco, party, theatre)?

• play your favourite sport?

• have a family celebration?

• do physical work (e. g. cleaning, decorating, gardening)?

casual comfortable elegant formal scruffy old smart trendy chic stylish fashionable tawdry with-it all the rage out of fashion baggy immaculate shabby brand-new filthy

Use the words in the box to help you, and give some examples.

 Pre-reading

Read these statements about clothes. Which ones do you agree with?

1. I have to dress in a way which I can afford.

2. I choose my clothes so I can follow the fashion in the music world.

3. I like to be in fashion and I love expensive things.

4. I don’t really care what other people think about my clothes.

5. I have to be well-dressed so that I make a good impression on people.

6. I wear clothes which go with what I do, that’s all.

7. I dress the same as my friends not to look different.

 Reading

Read the text below. How do these people feel about their clothes? And how do you feel about your clothes?