Clothes Don't Make the Person

Walking on campus or in the shopping mall, I have seen many people with luxury brands: Prada bags, Louis Vuitton belts, Gucci watches, Chanel wallets and many more. Those people define these items not only as “fashion” but also as a symbol of wealth. It seems like every time they wear it, they become superstars and they walk like a model.
You might think wearing luxury brands is very important. You feel rich and fashionable when you are wearing them, and most importantly, you feel like people pay more attention to you because you look fancy and rich.

We are living in a world full of materialism, and it is hard to get rid of it. When you see one of your classmates wearing a Gucci watch, you might not think of owning one too. But what if the girl that sits in front of you is wearing a Burberry scarf, the girl sitting beside you using a Hermès bag, and you notice the boy who is doing a presentation is wearing an Armani T-shirt? Seeing your peers wearing expensive luxury goods might make you want to compete with them. And now you want a luxury product too.

You try to find a way that is possible to get the luxury goods. You might ask your parents to get you one, you might ask your friends to lend you money, or you might just find many part-time jobs to earn more money. You try so hard and the reason is only to get a luxury product. Finally, you buy a pair of Gucci shoes, you feel good every time you wear them, you feel like everyone is looking at you and everyone admires you. But after a while, you realize that the Gucci shoes that you bought smell just as bad as any other cheap shoes that you bought before.

Recently, one of my friends posted his new Louis Vuitton underwear on his social media. I was highly confused when I saw it, not only because it is not a proper thing to show to the public, but also who cares about what brand your underwear brand is?

I don’t mean that you should never buy luxury goods. I mean do not buy luxury products only because they are expensive and popular or so you can get other people’s attention or find it easier to make friends. Wearing luxury brands is not the only way to show yourself off. There are many more ways beside using luxury products to prove yourself. Being nice and kind can make friends, being more involved in the activities can make you more popular, always being good and doing the right thing can show your integrity.

Two years ago, I went to Vietnam as a volunteer to teach local kids English. All I had in my suitcase were my old and cheap clothes, and that didn’t affect anything. The kids didn’t care about what I wore, they still had fun with me. I believe even if I was wearing expensive clothes, there would be no difference.