This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of western clothes and traditional clothing from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Western Clothes and Traditional Clothing

In many countries, people now wear western clothes such as suits and jeans rather than traditional clothing.

Why is this the case?

Is this a positive or negative development?

As the fashion industry has become increasingly closer, it is now more common for individuals to wear western-style attire instead of their own traditional clothing. In my opinion, this is a natural result of globalization and is a negative on the whole given its lack of diversity.

Many countries now adopt western fashion trends due to the effects of globalization. In past centuries, consumers were limited to the clothes that they either made themselves or could procure from their local area. Today, it is possible to efficiently transport vast quantities of goods by air, land, and sea. These fashion products are often made by famous brands such as Nike and Calvin Klein and can undercut local manufacturers’ prices. The global nature of media, particularly with the rise of the internet and social media, has also accelerated this process. Most people watch and listen to western movies and music and are subconsciously influenced by western fashion.

In my opinion, the pervasiveness of western fashion is decidedly detrimental as it concentrates wealth in unimaginative corporations. There are thousands of traditional styles of fashion around the world that have now been subsumed into a limited range of western aesthetic preferences. For instance, the Hmong communities in the North of Vietnam are famous for their vibrant design and the use of sustainable, textured fabrics such as hemp. If their cultural contributions were to be lost, it would necessarily mean a blander fashion world. The companies that now have the most power in terms of fashion tend to be concerned with profit over creative expression, and therefore create clothing without artistic merit.

In conclusion, wearing similar, typically western, clothing is a result of the spread of consumerism and impairs cultural diversity. Consumers should strive to embrace more traditional and environmentally-friendly fashion trends.

Analysis

1. As the fashion industry has become increasingly closer, it is now more common for individuals to wear western-style attire instead of their own traditional clothing. 2. In my opinion, this is a natural result of globalization and is a negative on the whole given its lack of diversity.

Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Many countries now adopt western fashion trends due to the effects of globalization. 2. In past centuries, consumers were limited to the clothes that they either made themselves or could procure from their local area. 3. Today, it is possible to efficiently transport vast quantities of goods by air, land, and sea. 4. These fashion products are often made by famous brands such as Nike and Calvin Klein and can undercut local manufacturers’ prices. 5. The global nature of media, particularly with the rise of the internet and social media, has also accelerated this process. 6. Most people watch and listen to western movies and music and are subconsciously influenced by western fashion.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
Keep developing it fully.
You can sometimes include the counterpoint here too.
Finish strong.

1. In my opinion, the pervasiveness of western fashion is decidedly detrimental as it concentrates wealth in unimaginative corporations. 2. There are thousands of traditional styles of fashion around the world that have now been subsumed into a limited range of western aesthetic preferences. 3. For instance, the Hmong communities in the North of Vietnam are famous for their vibrant design and the use of sustainable, textured fabrics such as hemp. 4. If their cultural contributions were to be lost, it would necessarily mean a blander fashion world. 5. The companies that now have the most power in terms of fashion tend to be concerned with profit over creative expression, and therefore create clothing without artistic merit.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
Continue your development.

1. In conclusion, wearing similar, typically western, clothing is a result of the spread of consumerism and impairs cultural diversity. 2. Consumers should strive to embrace more traditional and environmentally-friendly fashion trends.

Summarise your main ideas.
Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

As the fashion industry has become increasingly closer, it is now more common for individuals to wear western-style attire instead of their own traditional clothing. In my opinion, this is a natural result of globalization and is a negative on the whole given its lack of diversity.

Many countries now adopt western fashion trends due to the effects of globalization. In past centuries, consumers were limited to the clothes that they either made themselves or could procure from their local area. Today, it is possible to efficiently transport vast quantities of goods by air, land, and sea. These fashion products are often made by famous brands such as Nike and Calvin Klein and can undercut local manufacturers’ prices. The global nature of media, particularly with the rise of the internet and social media, has also accelerated this process. Most people watch and listen to western movies and music and are subconsciously influenced by western fashion.

In my opinion, the pervasiveness of western fashion is decidedly detrimental as it concentrates wealth in unimaginative corporations. There are thousands of traditional styles of fashion around the world that have now been subsumed into a limited range of western aesthetic preferences. For instance, the Hmong communities in the North of Vietnam are famous for their vibrant design and the use of sustainable, textured fabrics such as hemp. If their cultural contributions were to be lost, it would necessarily mean a blander fashion world. The companies that now have the most power in terms of fashion tend to be concerned with profit over creative expression, and therefore create clothing without artistic merit.

In conclusion, wearing similar, typically western, clothing is a result of the spread of consumerism and impairs cultural diversity. Consumers should strive to embrace more traditional and environmentally-friendly fashion trends.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

fashion industry the making of clothes

increasingly closer more and more near

common pervasive

wear western-style attire clothes from America, Europe, etc.

instead of over

traditional clothing clothes from your culture

natural result of normally what comes from

globalization the world becoming more similar

negative on the whole bad overall

given considering

lack of diversity everything the same

adopt start to use, make a habit of

trends due to patterns because of

effects impact

In past centuries hundreds of years ago

limited to only having to do with

procure get

local area where they live

efficiently transport good ways to send

vast quantities of lots of

air flights

land buses, trains, etc.

sea oceans

fashion products clothes

famous brands well-known fashion companies

can undercut local manufacturers’ prices charge less than local companies

global nature of media the way internet, news works

particularly especially

rise of increasing

social media TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

accelerated makes it go faster

process development

subconsciously not knowing what is happening

influenced by impacted by

pervasiveness how common it is

decidedly detrimental definitely bad

concentrates wealth gives the money to

in unimaginative corporations not creative companies

traditional styles old clothes

subsumed taken over by

limited range not that much variety

aesthetic preferences artistic likes

Hmong communities an ethnic group

vibrant design colorful clothes

sustainable good for the environment

textured fabrics nice materials

hemp an old fabric used for clothes

cultural contributions what they give based on their traditions

necessarily of course

blander fashion world more boring clothes

concerned with having to do with

profit the money earned

creative expression artistic expression

without artistic merit no artistic value

spread moving out, growing

consumerism buying things

impairs cultural diversity hurts cultures around the world

strive to embrace try to help

environmentally-friendly good for nature

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈfæʃən ˈɪndəstri
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈkləʊsə
ˈkɒmən
weə ˈwɛstən-staɪl əˈtaɪə
ɪnˈstɛd ɒv
trəˈdɪʃənl ˈkləʊðɪŋ
ˈnæʧrəl rɪˈzʌlt ɒv
ˌgləʊb(ə)laɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n
ˈnɛgətɪv ɒn ðə həʊl
ˈgɪvn
læk ɒv daɪˈvɜːsɪti
əˈdɒpt
trɛndz djuː tuː
ɪˈfɛkts
ɪn pɑːst ˈsɛnʧʊriz
ˈlɪmɪtɪd tuː
prəˈkjʊə
ˈləʊkəl ˈeərɪə
ɪˈfɪʃəntli ˈtrænspɔːt
vɑːst ˈkwɒntɪtiz ɒv
eə
lænd
siː
ˈfæʃən ˈprɒdʌkts
ˈfeɪməs brændz
kæn ˈʌndəkʌt ˈləʊkəl ˌmænjʊˈfækʧərəz ˈpraɪsɪz
ˈgləʊbəl ˈneɪʧər ɒv ˈmiːdiə
pəˈtɪkjʊləli
raɪz ɒv
ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə
əkˈsɛləreɪtɪd
ˈprəʊsɛs
ˌsʌbˈkɒnʃəsli
ˈɪnflʊənst baɪ
pɜːˈveɪsɪvnəs
dɪˈsaɪdɪdli ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛntl
ˈkɒnsəntreɪts wɛlθ
ɪn ˌʌnɪˈmæʤɪnətɪv ˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃənz
trəˈdɪʃənl staɪlz
səbˈsjuːmd
ˈlɪmɪtɪd reɪnʤ
iːsˈθɛtɪk ˈprɛfərənsɪz
həməng kəˈmjuːnɪtiz
ˈvaɪbrənt dɪˈzaɪn
səsˈteɪnəbl
ˈtɛksʧəd ˈfæbrɪks
hɛmp
ˈkʌlʧərəl ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃənz
ˈnɛsɪsərɪli
ˈblændə ˈfæʃən wɜːld
kənˈsɜːnd wɪð
ˈprɒfɪt
kri(ː)ˈeɪtɪv ɪksˈprɛʃən
wɪˈðaʊt ɑːˈtɪstɪk ˈmɛrɪt
sprɛd
kənˈsjuːmərɪz(ə)m
ɪmˈpeəz ˈkʌlʧərəl daɪˈvɜːsɪti
straɪv tuː ɪmˈbreɪs
ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntli-ˈfrɛndli

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

As the f_______________________y has become i___________________r, it is now more c__________n for individuals to w_____________________________e i_____________f their own t__________________g. In my opinion, this is a n____________________f g______________n and is a n__________________________e g_____n its l________________y.

Many countries now a_________t western fashion t_______s d________o the e________s of globalization. I___________________s, consumers were l___________o the clothes that they either made themselves or could p__________e from their l___________a. Today, it is possible to e_______________________t v____________________f goods by a__r, l____d, and s__a. These f__________________s are often made by f_______________s such as Nike and Calvin Klein and c_____________________________________s. The g__________________f m_____a, p_____________y with the ri______f the internet and s______________a, has also a________________d this p________s. Most people watch and listen to western movies and music and are s__________________y i__________________y western fashion.

In my opinion, the p______________s of western fashion is d_______________________l as it c____________________h i______________________________s. There are thousands of t_________________s of fashion around the world that have now been s___________d into a l_____________e of western a_____________________s. For instance, the H________________________s in the North of Vietnam are famous for their v________________n and the use of s_______________e, t______________s such as h____p. If their c_____________________________s were to be lost, it would n_____________y mean a b_______________________d. The companies that now have the most power in terms of fashion tend to be c____________________h p______t over c_________________n, and therefore create clothing w_______________________t.

In conclusion, wearing similar, typically western, clothing is a result of the s________d of c______________m and i__________________________y. Consumers should s____________o e________e more traditional and e_______________________________y fashion trends.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaqv9YwbQek

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://vietnamnet.vn/en/vietnamese-fashion-brands-struggle-to-survive-in-home-market-588002.html

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Talk about a fashion item that you want to buy. Include:

What it is

Where you can get it

How expensive it is

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Many young people today spend too much time following the latest fashion trends in areas such as clothing and technology.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Fashion Trends