Azja Stroud '16 – Fashion trends come and go; they fluctuate from one extreme to the next. Although Lady Gaga and other admired celebrities constantly make outrageous statements, what happens when "high fashion" becomes distasteful, repugnant? And what happens when these trends hit home?
Recently, popular teen clothing brand Urban Outfitters released a Kent State University crewneck with what appears to be bloodstains splashed across the front. For those unaware of this fashion faux-pas, Kent State was the victim of a school shooting forty-four years ago, during the Vietnam War. The shooting resulted in four deaths and nine injuries. Along with this sweater, Urban Outfitters are also the distributors behind countless other controversial pieces, including a shirt with "Eat Less" across the front and another with "depression" printed on it numerous times. Urban Outfitters isn't the only store to blame for outrageous products, but many other brands continue unnoticed in riding the line of controversy.
Insensitive jabs aren't the only thing worth mentioning; there's also the affect these messages have on adolescence as a whole. Both sensitivity and body image are held at risk during these outlandish experiments presented to the public.
Today's trends seem to strive towards being the most scandalous asa goal. Clothing like this is aiding to the teenage stereotype of being uncaring and ignorant to the seriousness of certain situations.
Ultimately, the trend of standing out in outlandish ways took over the world of teenage fashion. Some our age, however, surmise these offensive trends as a brand new fashion statement. According to some, fashion can be anything whether it be a dress made of meat or $600 Louboutins.
"I think there is no such thing as too much when it comes to fashion. There's so many different varieties, it's never ending!" Raj Singh '16 said.
Different and interesting high fashion trends may come and go with the seasons, but one question continues to prevail: how far is too far?