Band 7+: In many countries, people now wear western-style dresses such as suits and jeans rather than traditional clothing. Why is this? Is this a positive or negative development?

The widespread adoption of Western clothing style has transformed how billions of people wear in their daily life. This shift is driven by economic dominance of Western culture and globalising influence of media. Although it can carry practical benefits, this essay argues that it represents a negative development due to cultural assimilation.

The most significant driver of this trend is Western media and consumer consumer culture. Hollywood films, global fashion trends, social media, operating in western countries created an aspirational association not only with western lifestyle, but also with their clothing style. Young people may watch it for entertainment; however, it always leads to absorption of the same aesthetic preferences. Western clothing has become associated with modernity and success, which inspire people to wear similar clothes all over the world.

Practical use may be considered as benefits, as it allows people to wear comfortable clothes such as jeans, T-shirts, and suits. What is more, they are mass-produced, so it is much cheaper to buy them. Nevertheless, mass-trend on Western clothing can lead to cultural erosion. Traditional clothing of each nation is not simply decorative; it carries cultural identity and regional variations that western clothing cannot replicate. For example, the national clothing of Kazakh people reflects their nomadic lifestyle, representing beautiful clothes made from leather and fur, which helped them to stay alive in severe weather conditions of steppe. Knowledge about history may disappear, once traditional clothes are not worn anymore. Therefore, the global trend on western clothing is not progress, it is impoverishment, leading to loss of national identity.

In conclusion, the shift toward Western clothing style is caused by a combination of economic and cultural influences. However, it is a negative change because cultural heritage is irreplaceable. In order to preserve it, nations should incorporate traditional elements of clothing in modern style, rather than copy other culture’s styles.