When the economy is bad dresses become shorter
What
do you know about this subject?
Have
you heard this economic theory before?
In 2001, Leonard Lauder, the former CEO of
Estée Lauder, proclaimed that when
the economy is bad the sales of lipstick increases. This has been called the
Lipstick Index. The thinking is that women will not buy higher ticket items like expensive shoes. But they will want to indulge themselves. So they will turn their attention
to other "feel-good" purchases such as lipsticks. Nearly 80 years ago
George Taylor (1926) and Paul Nystrom (1928), and more recently Helmut Gaus
(1992) said they saw that dress length fluctuated
with how good or bad the economy was. So as the economy got worse, dresses
became shorter. And there is some other compelling
research.
In 2005, a team of British scientists wrote
some research in Human Nature.
They researched the sexiness of women's clothing as depicted in the magazine UK Vogue from 1916 to 1999. They
found that as the economic conditions got worse, women's fashion styles became
more provocative. They said that
many women used their physical looks as sexual advertisement in hard economic
times.
Try
to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest
meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and
have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the
reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary
depending on how they are used.
The
answers are below the table.
proclaimed
|
A
|
1
|
Strong reasons to do something, must do
|
higher ticket items
|
B
|
2
|
To tempt/encourage in a sexy and desiring way
|
indulge
|
C
|
3
|
To enjoy/use without worrying about the
price. To totally enjoy and use without worrying about not having enough
|
turn their attention
|
D
|
4
|
To say loudly and confidently, to say
something so everyone will hear/know
|
fluctuated
|
E
|
5
|
Going up and down, not stable
|
compelling
|
F
|
6
|
How something is seen, the image created
about something
|
depicted
|
G
|
7
|
To become interested in something
|
provocative
|
H
|
8
|
Expensive things
|
A=4, B=8, C=3, D=7, E=5, F=1, G=6, H=2
Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning
of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.
I proclaim my love for her by announcing we are getting married next
year.
Higher ticket items such as Prada bags
are sold at this department store.
You have studied hard so you
should indulge yourself by buying
something special.
Now that they have won the
election they will turn their attention
to the economy.
Last year oil prices were fluctuating but this year they are
staying the same.
A compelling reason to learn this is it will be on the test.
In the movie he is depicted as a criminal.
It was a really good movie. It provoked me to think about the topic
more.
Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the
words/phrases in your answer.
How much do you agree with Mr
Lauder’s proclamation? What things
do people spend money on when the economy is good or bad? What other things do
they turn their attention to?
Do you agree that when the
economy is not good people buy some higher
ticket items to feel better? Why or why not?
If you don’t have a lot of
money then what will you still indulge
yourself in?
Do you think the dress length
of all women fluctuates with the
economy? How much do you agree? Do you think women’s fashion also becomes more provocative? In your opinion why would
women change their fashion at these times?
If you have less money or the
economy is not good what do you feel compelled
to change?
What does a person’s fashion depict about them?