IELTS Writing Task 2 General Training Sample Answer Essay: Fashion (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the general training exam on the topic of fashion.

It was a little bit tricky to think of main ideas for each paragraph – read below to see what I did with it!

Also be sure to check out my online courses and corrections and exclusive Patreon essays!

Dave

Before reading the sample answer, listen to the audio below to practice your listening skills:

IELTS Writing Task 2 General Training Sample Answer Essay: Fashion (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

The number of people who are interested in and wearing fashionable clothes is increasing.

Is this a positive or negative development?

Real Past IELTS Exam/Test

More and more people today are interested in and have the disposable income to take greater care with their fashion choices. In my opinion, though many fashion companies exploit their workers, this is a positive development overall.

Those who criticise the fashion industry often point out its treatment of workers. The most famous fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel (as well as footwear makers such as Nike and Adidas) outsource their labour at reduced costs to East Asia. Workers in their factories make subsistence wages and are notoriously mistreated, while the countries in question often have lax child labour laws as well. Exploitive fashion companies then massively inflate prices for their products. Their actions cannot be controlled directly by consumers but nonetheless undermine every innocent transaction at a shopping mall.

Regardless, fashion is an important aesthetic choice for ordinary people. The exploitation of workers ought to be regulated by governments and corporations, not consumers. Those who buy fashionable clothes are trying to express themselves through their attire and the end result of a more fashion-conscious public is greater beauty for onlookers. No one would question the importance of beautiful buildings and public works of art but fashion is arguably more noticeable. Fashion gives not only individuals but also towns, cities, and nations a distinctive flair, without which the world would be blander and less beautiful.

In conclusion, the beauty fashion engenders outweighs any ethical considerations. Governments ought to properly regulate labour so that their citizens can shop and flaunt with a clear conscience.

Analysis

1. More and more people today are interested in and have the disposable income to take greater care with their fashion choices. 2. In my opinion, though many fashion companies exploit their workers, this is a positive development overall.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Clearly state your opinion.

1. Those who criticise the fashion industry often point out its treatment of workers. 2. The most famous fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel (as well as footwear makers such as Nike and Adidas) outsource their labour at reduced costs to East Asia. 3. Workers in their factories make subsistence wages and are notoriously mistreated, while the countries in question often have lax child labour laws as well. 4. Exploitive fashion companies then massively inflate prices for their products. 5. Their actions cannot be controlled directly by consumers but nonetheless undermine every innocent transaction at a shopping mall.

1. Write a topic sentence with your main idea at the end.
2. Begin to support your main idea with examples.
3. Continue to develop the same examples.
4. State the end result or draw conclusions from your examples.
5. Conclude the paragraph.

1. Regardless, fashion is an important aesthetic choice for ordinary people. 2. The exploitation of workers ought to be regulated by governments and corporations, not consumers. 3. Those who buy fashionable clothes are trying to express themselves through their attire and the end result of a more fashion-conscious public is greater beauty for onlookers. 4. No one would question the importance of beautiful buildings and public works of art but fashion is arguably more noticeable. 5. Fashion gives not only individuals but also towns, cities, and nations a distinctive flair, without which the world would be blander and less beautiful.

1. Write another topic sentence with your main idea at the end.
2. Here I start developing it by referring back to the argument from the last paragraph – this is good for cohesion/coherence.
3. Instead of an example, I use a logical argument.
4. Then I argue with an analogy.
5. Finally, I conclude the paragraph by summarising my argument.

1. In conclusion, the beauty fashion engenders outweighs any ethical considerations. 2. Governments ought to properly regulate labour so that their citizens can shop and flaunt with a clear conscience.

1. Repeat your opinion.
2. Include a final detail/thought.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

More and more people today are interested in and have the disposable income to take greater care with their fashion choices. In my opinion, though many fashion companies exploit their workers, this is a positive development overall.

Those who criticise the fashion industry often point out its treatment of workers. The most famous fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel (as well as footwear makers such as Nike and Adidas) outsource their labour at reduced costs to East Asia. Workers in their factories make subsistence wages and are notoriously mistreated, while the countries in question often have lax child labour laws as well. Exploitive fashion companies then massively inflate prices for their products. Their actions cannot be controlled directly by consumers but nonetheless undermine every innocent transaction at a shopping mall.

Regardless, fashion is an important aesthetic choice for ordinary people. The exploitation of workers ought to be regulated by governments and corporations, not consumers. Those who buy fashionable clothes are trying to express themselves through their attire and the end result of a more fashion-conscious public is greater beauty for onlookers. No one would question the importance of beautiful buildings and public works of art but fashion is arguably more noticeable. Fashion gives not only individuals but also towns, cities, and nations a distinctive flair, without which the world would be blander and less beautiful.

In conclusion, the beauty fashion engenders outweighs any ethical considerations. Governments ought to properly regulate labour so that their citizens can shop and flaunt with a clear conscience.

Answers

more and more increasingly

disposable income money to spend

take greater care with pay more attention to

exploit take advantage of

positive development overall good

criticise think badly of

point out argue

treatment of workers employment conditions

brands companies

footwear shoes

outsource send to other countries

labour workers

reduced costs money saved

subsistence wages just enough to live on

notoriously mistreated badly expoloited

in question relevant here

lax child labour laws allow kids to work

massively inflate prices increase the cost a lot

controlled directly have power over

undermine is part of

innocent transaction guiltless purchase

regardless nonetheless

aesthetic choice artistic decision

ordinary people normal citizens

regulated controlled

express themselves show off

attire clothes

end result final impact

fashion-conscious public people who care about their clothes

onlookers those who see it

arguably debatedly

noticeable can be seen

distinctive flair showy

without which lacking

blander boring

engenders creates

ethical considerations moral concerns

properly correctly

flaunt show off

clear conscience without guilt

Pronunciation

mɔːr ænd mɔː 
dɪsˈpəʊzəbl ˈɪnkʌm 
teɪk ˈgreɪtə keə wɪð 
ˈɛksplɔɪt 
ˈpɒzətɪv dɪˈvɛləpmənt ˈəʊvərɔːl
ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz 
pɔɪnt aʊt 
ˈtriːtmənt ɒv ˈwɜːkəz
brændz 
ˈfʊtweə 
ˌaʊtˈsɔːs 
ˈleɪbə 
rɪˈdjuːst kɒsts 
səbˈsɪstəns ˈweɪʤɪz 
nəʊˈtɔːrɪəsli mɪsˈtriːtɪd
ɪn ˈkwɛsʧən 
læks ʧaɪld ˈleɪbə lɔːz 
ˈmæsɪvli ɪnˈfleɪt ˈpraɪsɪz 
kənˈtrəʊld dɪˈrɛktli 
ˌʌndəˈmaɪn 
ˈɪnəsənt trænˈzækʃən 
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs
iːsˈθɛtɪk ʧɔɪs 
ˈɔːdnri ˈpiːpl
ˈrɛgjʊleɪtɪd 
ɪksˈprɛs ðəmˈsɛlvz 
əˈtaɪə 
ɛnd rɪˈzʌlt 
ˈfæʃən-ˈkɒnʃəs ˈpʌblɪk 
ˈɒnˌlʊkəz
ˈɑːgjʊəbli 
ˈnəʊtɪsəbl
dɪsˈtɪŋktɪv fleə
wɪˈðaʊt wɪʧ 
ˈblændə 
ɪnˈʤɛndəz 
ˈɛθɪkəl kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃənz
ˈprɒpəli 
flɔːnt 
klɪə ˈkɒnʃəns

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

M_____________________e people today are interested in and have the d___________________e to t_________________________h their fashion choices. In my opinion, though many fashion companies e________t their workers, this is a p________________________________l.

Those who c_________e the fashion industry often p_____________t its t__________________________s. The most famous fashion b________s like Louis Vuitton and Chanel (as well as f_________________r makers such as Nike and Adidas) o____________e their l____________r at r______________s to East Asia. Workers in their factories make s__________________s and are n____________________d, while the countries i____________________n often have l______________________s as well. Exploitive fashion companies then m___________________________s for their products. Their actions cannot be c___________________y by consumers but nonetheless u_______________e every i__________________n at a shopping mall.

R________________s, fashion is an important a___________________e for o_______________e. The exploitation of workers ought to be r____________d by governments and corporations, not consumers. Those who buy fashionable clothes are trying to e__________________s through their a________e and the e_______________t of a more f______________________________c is greater beauty for o__________s. No one would question the importance of beautiful buildings and public works of art but fashion is a______________y more n_____________e. Fashion gives not only individuals but also towns, cities, and nations a d________________________r, w_______________h the world would be b__________r and less beautiful.

In conclusion, the beauty fashion e_____________s outweighs any e____________________s. Governments ought to p____________y regulate labour so that their citizens can shop and f_________t with a c____________________e.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

TWatch a bit below about the history of fashion:

Reading Practice

Read more about the importance of fashion below:

https://artsandculture.google.com/theme/why-fashion-matters/_QKS0J-OeT7HIA?hl=en

Speaking Practice

Answer the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Fashion

1. Why are designer bran clothes popular?
2. Why are these brands so expensive?
3. How has fashion changed in your country?
4. Is it important for designers to stay up to date with the latest fashions?
5. Is fashion more important than adapting your clothes to the weather?

Writing Practice

Write about the following related topic and then read my sample answer:

Many people believe that music is just a form of entertainment, whilst others believe that music has a much larger impact on society today.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion. 

Real Past IELTS Exam/Test

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Music & Society (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)