Why are teenagers in American movies and tv shows dressed so colorfully?

Question

Rainbow crowds of schoolkids, highschool teens and college students... Does it reflect reality?

I'm not talking about schools where a uniform is mandatory. I live in Europe, and I've never seen a crowded american schoolyard or school/college aisle in real life. But I could give you recent examples of such movies (not from the early 90's) such as "American pie".

What strikes me is that it never looks like any color is missing. On the other hand, the clothing cuts/styles of marginal characters is never particularly diversified and striking. They look all the same, just the colors differ.

At my college I notice a lot of differences among people's styles. Some like classy, some casual, some tight, some loose, some sporty, some sexy, some nerdy... and the majority of them doesn't dress in black and white. But looked at as a crowd in the hall, they don't form a rainbow. Sometimes a color is predominant, sometimes another, but thats not what hits your eyes first. It is their hairdo, their height, their voice, and so on.

I also noticed the preponderance of blue jeans in real life pictures of american crowds. I myself wear blue jeans outdoors 2/3 of the time. On tv, however, youngsters wear anything from skirts to mini-pants, from jeans to velvet trousers from the belt down.

I'm not talking about single individuals who wear "crazy bright colors", but how colorful they look as a whole, and how many colors one of them can carry.

I'm not against colors, I just cant imagine how I could wear light-blue and black shoes, white socks with orange designs, lemon yellow pants with a green belt, a (strictly unbuttoned) purple-striped button shirt over a long-sleeve white Simpsons sweater on a daily basis. And maybe a Casio watch to go with it. And feel cool. OK, I'm just making this up.

wireflight - Wtf? Female mammals know red is a more suggestive attractor, while men shouldn't try to look all fancy but mature and responsible.

friedpaw - Japan... is just different.

Answer 1

Hi,

Teenage years are times when you're caught between identities and would like to show that you are unique. The easiest way is by dressing flashy or colorful or as fashionably as you can.

American schools do not follow a dress code. Thus teens are free to wear what they like.

American TV shows depict just that. With a fashion designer and stylist and a cameraman who decides which colors would look best on screen, who study what teens wear and dress it up for TV. So it's pretty much real, or influenced by reality.

This is nothing though. You should see Japanese school girls, who start trends around the world with their cooky sense of fashion, and love for colorful gadgets. America will seem really tame after that.

Answer 2

They dress like that to keep the attention of a TV audience that has trouble focusing their minds for anything over a few minutes. The theory at first was that it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull to get his attention. Nowadays the clothes are promotional items that clothing manufacturers pay to have appearing on the show. The sad thing us that it works and many students think that is what they are supposed to be buying and wearing.

Answer 3

I don't see anything unusual about the kids on TV. They look just like the kids at the beach, the mall, and everywhere else I go. The exception is that a lot of schools have uniforms, so in school they all look alike. But outside, yes, they are very colorful. Where are you from?

Answer 4

This does not reflect reality for jr. high age kids. I've been around them working at the local jr. high school for the last 3 weeks and the majority of them wear black shirts to school. Elementary age kids dress more colorfully and so do high school age kids.

Answer 5

It's the new style. Well kinda. You know how they say history repeats itself. Well the kids are into the 80's fashion right now. Its' the new thing. I live in Washington D.C., and the teenage girls are wearing crazy bright hair color extensions in their hair.

Peace

Answer 6

The coloring, yes. The style? No. Most schools have dress codes which prohibit little-bitty short shorts and skirts, crop-tops, sleeveless shirts, and low-cut necklines.

Answer 7

color reflects (no pun intended) creativity and vitality.

this is consistent with the fact that from a Darwinian perspective, biologically, teens are preparing to mate; display of pretty colors and patterns is a natural way of expressing both fitness and readiness to mate.

Answer 8

confident, some people try this. yet usually with the aid of fact those people have caller identity on their telephones. additionally this might purely be carried out to casual very close acquaintances. rather everyone seems to be in certainly one of those hurry presently. Im inquisitive approximately Hellos and Goodbyes. It basically polite and feels precise.

Answer 9

Because in todays society, people don't want to see the tru FASHION STATEMENTS most non-cordial teens and young adults openly display as their individual personal character. They want to show what " JOE PUBLIC " desires to see and not what really is there.

Answer 10

Yes.
I personally wear bright colors. It reflects my personality.