Morality vs. Acceptance

      " Fashion obviously has to show a certain amount of collectivity--that is, must include several individuals.  For Georg Simmel, the limited character (i.e. not a social entirety performs fashion) is an essential part of the phenomenon.  He declared the 'the nature of fashion consisting the fact that only part of a group actually performs it, where as the rest of the group is on the way to adopt '(Simmel 1923).  Translating sociologic mechanisms into the psychodynamic individual level, a person desires to be what he/she adores and therefore identifies with idols or pure images of some given standard (Torello,1968a)( Identities Through Fashion, pg161).  The need for acceptance goes all the way back to the Enlightenment era in the eighteenth century. This time was full of "over-the-top" clothing and high priority of external values.  The clothing was impractical and out-landish but, it was desired.  In today's society there are so many requirements to fit into the "norm".  Middle school and High school cultures are major conductors of teens need to feel accepted. Teenagers and even adults, participate in social activities and popular fashions jut to fit in. Although some of the activities and fashions give off a distorted/wrong message.  The act of conforming is human nature. When a person sees an idol or highly accepted individual do something, the person standing by feels the need to participate in these  accepted activities and fashions.  This brings up the question of aesthetics vs ethics. Is it ethically correct to wear something or do something that you internally do not agree with, just to be accepted?
        High school is the black hole of lost teenagers looking to "find themselves". There is an unspoken hierarchy within the students. At the top there are the "popular" kids who always present the "cool" way to do things and what to wear.  Underclassmen and students in the lower levels of this unwritten hierarchy idolize these "popular" kids and will conform to their ways. A prime example of this is the movie Mean Girls.  The movie consists of a group of idolized girls called "the Plastics".  These girls will do whatever they want and it will instantly start a new trend. Cady, the main character, pretends to conform to them to get back at them.  In one event to sabotage the lead plastic, Regina,  Cady cuts holes in Regina's shirt. Regina looks at it and wears it anyways.  The next day the whole school is wearing shirts with holes in them.  This fashion statement is completely based on trying to be like Regina; whatever she does, it must be right.  Along with Regina's power on the high school community, Cady's act of fake conformity naturally leads to honest conformity and she completely changes how she dresses and acts.  She becomes a person she is not, she becomes a "Plastic".  She is blinded by her feeling of acceptance and it takes a series of terrible events to make her realize that she is not being true to her internal values.
     Socially accepted activities along with fashions, lead to decision making that is clearly internally immoral.  A common example of this is, smoking cigarettes. Everybody knows that smoking is bad.  The health issues that come along with this are deathly,yet, people still do it.  The image of someone smoking holds qualities that are admired by people who want to look carefree and "cool".  Participating in the act of smoking is a case of aesthetics vs ethics.  There is no benefits besides appearing nonchalant  but, it is done purely for external value.  Ethically, it is known that this is deathly and has a high stigma attached.  On a slightly less risky act, fashion has the same effect.  In society there are styles that are worn that just do not really make sense.  For example, middle class teenage girls wear a lot of Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch. These styles are based on West coast fashion.  People on the East coast are wearing items representing California and places that most people on the East coast actually have never been.  This style is popular simply because people say it is.  These clothes are not truly expressive and are worn solely for aesthetic reasons.
     While there are benefits to conforming such as: feeling socially accepted and giving off some type of external expression, the costs are more harming than the benefits are rewarding.  By conforming, it gives off a tainted impression. Whether it is coming of as sexually desired, "cool", or care free, a lot of the time, these images do not match up to what is actually going on inside the body.  Morals are dropped and you might fit in but, is it even with the right crowd?
   When I was in early high school, I did anything to fit in with the popular crowd.  My hair is naturally curly but having straight hair was in.  Every morning, I would wake up early and straighten my hair and dress in the typical, over priced fashion that everybody else was wearing.  I would wear really tight shirts and layer until I couldn't layer anymore.  I was uncomfortable but I did it to fit in. Late in my sophomore going into my junior year, I found a group of friends that I can still call my best friends today.  They made me realize that I can wear what I want and still be happy, but now, Im happy internally and externally.
    In every society and community, there will be a popular fashion or trend that people conform too.  It is important to embed both the aesthetic and ethics of fashion into everyday life.  Being individual and expressive is highly idolized which is now ironically becoming a trend. If one were to completely ignore the beauty of fashion and never conform , that in itself is conforming.  It is important to be loyal to what you believe in and what you desire. Along with that though, it is equally important and inevitable to accept popular trends. Being accepting of all styles, social norms and outcasts, allows you to become a worldly and internally free person that all people are meant to be.