Lace gowns, Tiffany rings and a dream’s worth of Prada heels fill the television screen on the CW’s “Gossip Girl.” Monday night at 9 p.m. girls gather around the television to enjoy Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, as they mingle in the social world of the Upper East Side.
Some BYU students are affected by the fashion choices of popular television dramas and comedies, such as “The Office” and “Gossip Girl,” while other students find themselves removed from the world of entertainment.
Paige Brennan, a sophomore from Orange County, Calif., said she enjoys television comedies like Parks and Recreation, however; she finds her fashion inspiration from “Gossip Girl.”
“When I used to watch ‘Gossip Girl,’ I’d be like ‘That is the cutest outfit ever. I wish I could pull that off,'” Brennan said.
Brennan bought a black dress similar to one worn by Blair Waldorf on a Gossip Girl episode.
“You kind of gravitate towards certain characters you identify with,” Brennan said.
While Brennan enjoys emulating the fashion on shows such as “Gossip Girl,” she said some of the wardrobe choices of Serena and Blair are impossible to mimic.
“On TV you are always reaching something that is unattainable, but you have to realize that it is TV and not real life,” Brennan said. “They have stylists and obviously we don’t have that. It is fun, but you have to take it with a grain of salt.”
Suzanne Hubbard, a 19-year-old sophomore, from Fort Smith, Ark., said she is not affected by television fashion. She watches “Once Upon A Time,” and finds the show’s fashion choices unrealistic. Hubbard said television depicts fashion differently from her own personal style.
“I see new things,” Hubbard said. “There is not a set pattern. Everyone tries to do something different, but I guess that is the media in general.”
Adam Hall, a junior from Snowflake, Ariz., majoring in neuroscience, entertains similar views as Hubbard’s on television and its impact on student fashion. Hall said he has never gone to the mall due to a television show’s inspiration.
“The whole ‘conforming to the norm’ thing bothers me,” Hall said.
As far as celebrities and entertainment are concerned, Hall said he believes people should be worried about more important aspects of life.
“I think that entertainment is important,” Hall said. “I don’t have anything against entertainment, per se, but I also don’t feel like celebrities are special, besides being well-known or popular.”
