Perez 1

Daisy Perez
Professor Florian
English 114
March 20, 2014
Imagine perfection and youll reach Utopia
Every individual and society has their own concept of Utopia. Whether it is similar or
different from one to another, everyone has thought about it at some point in life. Utopia is a
place where everything is seen as perfect. Every single feature and problem that can arise has
been thought out. This can be compared to fashion because fashion is a process that undergoes
building and fixing several times. Every season designers come up with new glamours trends.
Fashion is an illusion that is contradicting the product that the designer is trying to sell to you.
Although Utopia may have its glamour it has its downside just like fashion. Fashion is a type of
Utopia that is common in many individuals and groups. Fashion and Utopia are places where
people unite to build this perfect environment.
For starters fashion, whether one is interested in it or not get ones attention. Some get
persuaded by the advertisements, social life or celebrities we see on TV/billboard. For instance,
Fashion is conceived as a body technique which displays markers of social conduct expressed
and displayed through clothes (Craik). Through the usage of celebrities daily life images the
first and last thing people tend to focus on is what they are wearing, whose the designer and
where they weared it. Celebrities socialize with the same level and social statues as themselves
and when people tend to stand out they are outcast. For one to fit in the perfect social
Perez 2

environment, they must follow the level of trend. Just like in Utopia, people were suppose to
follow the rules or they would become a slave. For example, All the convicts, & they alone, are
dressed in garments of distinctive colour; their hair is not shaved but clipped a little above the
ears, the tip of one ear is cut off (More). Their own people would turn their backs on them and
in slave them for acting out; in this particular way people would distinguish themselves from
slaves , out casting them by the way they were dressed and appeared. Utopians wanted nothing to
do with them because they were disobeying the laws, but more than that rebelled upon their own
government and beliefs. This is the case in fashion when people/individuals do not follow a trend
among the groups or people they socialize with they get outcast.
Fashion is transmitted as a higher/upper class status. Meaning, if you buy what the
advertisements are persuading you to buy, then youll fit in. For example, Fashion offers
woman fantasies, identities and momentary escape from the contradictions and pain of everyday
life (Craik). When you look at all the pictures of model and celebrities they are perfect. Whether
its the color, the lighting or whatever it is its always on point. Their photos are so unrealistic,
showing the glamour luxury life you would have just by having those certain items. They make
people imagine an unrealistic society. When in reality it does not matter if you have a certain
designer brand or what not, because this is not going to help you succeed or social with a
particular group, just like what the ads claim.
Although the new set of designer clothes, shoes, brands that just came out are glamours
and one of the kind; there is always something new and better. Once that season is over its out
with the old in with the new. This is seen year around when fall ends, and summer begins.
Everything is half price because the stores are trying to get rid of last seasons clothes. Although
sometimes the designs and trends may not vary from one another that much from seasons there is
Perez 3

always something that catches people attention. Whether its the color, the pattern, the material
whatever it is, its always better than the previous one. For example in Utopia, With everybody
engaged in useful occupations and these in turn requires less labour, there is such abundance.
Every community has their own set of needs. Their particular structure set of rules and values
they go by. Every community varies from one another in some ways but they always have to
work together to get things done. This is also seen in fashion advertisement, marketing and
sellers, because they have to work together to convince, persuade people to buy new products.
Just like in, Elle Magazine, Style.com and Fall/Winter Trends.
Utopia has a set of walls enclosing the outside world. According to the author, The town
is defended by a high, thick wall with numerous towers and bastions, & on three slides this is
enclosed by a dry moat (More). This is because it encloses people who might try to bring
changes or pursue the people to act against their government. Although everything is shared and
equalthat is not the case. For instance, except that special regards is paid to the governor, the
high priest and the tranibors (More). Higher power people like the few who get elected to
run the communities are classified differently from the rest. They get more privileges and are in
control.
This is also seen in the fashion industry. Although fashion is promoted for everyone,
they are classified in a particular way. For instance, In fashion industry, fashion promotion is
not made by ordinary people, but by models, whose job is to wear clothes in order to show the
products, how they fit with the body (Chiosa). Models female/males are always tall, skinny and
have a perfect figure. The designers design the clothes for a particular frame, not keeping in
mind that people come in different shapes and size. The way fashion gets transmitted is
supernatural; they capture people attention by putting gorgeous models to advertise their clothes.
Perez 4

Like, wow if it looks that good on them imagine how it would look on me! You could instantly
see this on the cover of Elle, Teen Vogue, and People Magazines etc.
Often times they contact celebrities, artists or sports players to advertise their set of
clothes. As a illustration, The attractiveness models contends that the effectiveness of a
message depends on the sources familiarity, likeability, similarity, attractiveness to the
respondent (Chiosa). This is one of the many ways people fall for the message they are trying to
get out to them. For one that celebrity might be someones remodel or heroes, making them want
to buy or have whatever they have on. Without actually have thought out, hey maybe I do not
need that. Theres no need for me to have the new edition because I just purchased the last one,
not so long ago. It also has to do with the way beauty is defined, the attraction of a new shiny
car may have less to do with its pure beauty than with the pride we have owning it. Just like this
example, people feel worthy and satisfied being able to have the same type of items as celebrities
have, making them feel like they too have the same level of statues and perfect life.
Just like in Utopia, The Island has fifty-four cities, all spacious and imposing, which
share the same language, customs, institutions and laws (More). People are being transmitted
the same rules, values and the way they do things among the communities. When someone acts
out, its outrages because all their life they have been taught and done what the leader have
imposed in them to do and value. They see it wrong because there is no need to go do things
differently. It is perfectly fine the way it is right now, because there is a lot of abundance and
everything is equally shared.
The community in Utopia work together to get what they need to survive done. They do
not take or desire for more than is necessary. They are happy with just having enough for that
Perez 5

day, not worrying about tomorrow needs. Yes, Utopia sounds like a perfect world but nothing is
perfect. Everything has its flaws, problems and can be improved just like fashion. Fashion is
always on a creative move, looking for new ideas and styles. But just like the clothes are not
always sewed accordingly so is utopia. For example a stylist loves, Experimenting with
different looks, patterns and colors for her everyday outfits fueled her love for fashion
(Aquino). Fashion is one of the ways people can express themselves, and even distinguish
themselves from another individual. . But fashion, can also have its down side. Fashion is not as
simple as magazine, advertisements and TV displays it to be. Fashion is an ongoing industry that
does not pay in glamour. The only way to be successful in the industry is by connections and
proving yourself. There is a lot of internship that has to done, as well as poorly bad jobs not like
the ones claimed on TV. Yes people may get free clothes and bags once in a while, but the
fashion industry does not work together instead its like the survival of the fittest.
However Utopia may not be as perfect as the book may state but it does have its humble
side. Such as, Again, they are astonished that gold, which of itself is perfectly useless, is
everywhere so highly prized man, who imposed value on it for his purposes, is himself valued at
a lower rate (More). They do not value the importance in gold as much as others do. They see
gold just as gold, they do not put much importance in it neither do they urge to have more. In
utopia they use gold as a punishment for slaves so when they see the 3 ambassadors wearing
them, they believe they look like fools and are no better than them. But compared to fashion, the
more gold you have, the more expensive popular brands you own, the more youll fit in their so
call society. Many people get so caught up in this fantasy world, revolving and trying to meet
this so called world of theirs.
Perez 6

Fashion is always on a move to expand and evolve in new ways. Fashion has its own set
of rules and ways of operating their business. For one, they use brands and logos that are known.
Symbols and objects that people are familiar with attracting their attention. Fashion builds its
own perfect world, but that does not mean its perfect. The way they transmit their ideals and
trends are not always the best way to do things but thats what makes fashion different. Fashion
has their own description of their perfect utopia within its boundaries. Just like in Utopia, not
everything they do is perfect in my point of view. But it worked for them, it made them be
unique because of the way they honored and kept things running without questioning it. But then
again people were ignorant and described this perfect world that had slavery, no freedom of
speech, no private property and no realistic evolutionary future. No matter what type of Utopia it
is there is an endless amount of possibilities for a perfect world, no one can really judge the
outcome except the creator.








Perez 7

Work Cited
Altshuler, Richard Paul and Thelma. The Art of Being Human . Pearson Education Inc., 2012.
Aquino, Elisa. Street Fashion. 19 September 2013. 7 March 2014 <www.interaksyon.com>.
Chiosa, Raluca. "Celebrity endorsement in fashion ." EuroEconomica (2013): 19-29.
Craik, Jennifer. The face of fashion: cultural studies in fashion. 1994.
"Elle." Spring Fashion Special (2014): 118-354.
More, Thomas. Utopia. Penguin Group , 2012.