Lesson 7: Fast Fashion
I guess they don’t make them like they used to.

I can discuss fast fashion.

INTRODUCE

With fast fashion, it’s easier and more affordable to be up-to-date with the latest trends. Sometimes, though, fast fashion companies focus so much on speedy production that they overlook quality.

PRESENT

STEP A EXPRESSIONS

Go over the first two expressions with your tutor and fill in the blanks. Then, guess the meaning of the third expression based on the clues provided.

    1. A fad refers to a trend that suddenly gains popularity but loses it just as fast.

    I bought this hat because it was a fad at the time, but now it’s out of style.

    _____ was a fad in Japan during _____.

     

     

    2. Use They don’t make them like they used to. to say that certain products have declined in quality.

    I dropped my old phone many times with no problem, but my new phone broke the first time I dropped it! They don’t make them like they used to.

    I don’t buy _________ anymore because they don’t make them like they used to.

     

     

    3.                                                                .

    I’ve had these sunglasses for eight years and they still look brand new. They’re obviously made to last!

    Q: What do you think made to last means?

STEP B SPEAK YOUR MIND

Sometimes you want to say that something has an unpredictable outcome.

    I thought the new movie was awesome, but apparently, it’s not doing so well at the box office.

    Yeah, you just don’t know with movies. Some do well, some don’t. It’s a crapshoot.

UNDERSTAND

SPEAKING

Ayako is talking to her Korean friend Sun-mi. They’re shopping at a clothing store.

Sun-mi:

Thanks for coming with me, Ayako. I really need your help finding a top to wear to that party.

Ayako:

No problem! … Here, how about this one? This style is really in right now!

Sun-mi:

Hmm… I’m not really a fan of the cut-out fad. It just looks weird to me. And besides, I’d like to find something that I can wear to more than one party before it goes out of style.

Ayako:

Okay. How about this one?

Sun-mi:

I don’t know, Ayako… The fabric feels really cheap, and it’s sewn badly. It seems like it would fall apart after just one wash.

Ayako:

Yeah, I know what you mean. That actually happened to me just a few weeks ago. I washed a brand new skirt, and all ten buttons came off in the washing machine! Isn’t that horrible?

Sun-mi:

Yeah, that really is! Did they just glue the buttons on the skirt or something? (laughs)

Ayako:

Haha, maybe! I got it at RightInStyle.

Sun-mi:

Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Their clothes are definitely not made to last.

Ayako:

Well, sometimes you can find nicer pieces there. It’s a crapshoot, really.

Sun-mi:

True.

Ayako:

I know what you mean, though. I end up buying a brand new wardrobe every season because the clothes just don’t look that nice after a few months. My mom, on the other hand, has clothes that she bought in the 1980s, and they’re all still in great condition!

Sun-mi:

I guess they don’t make them like they used to. Do you borrow clothes from your mom sometimes?

Ayako:

No way! They’re still in great condition, but they’re definitely not still in style! (laughs)

TRIVIA

It’s not always easy to tell if clothes are made to last or not. When shopping, beware of these warning signs:

  • The fabric becomes wrinkled when you squeeze it.
  • The fabric looks loose when you pull it.
  • The fabric is a synthetic material like nylon or polyester.
  • The zippers are not covered.
  • The buttons are loose.

PRACTICE

Are the underlined expressions used correctly? If not, change the sentences.

  1. Loose socks were a fad in Japan in the 1990s.
  2. I just bought these shoes the other day, and they already look really worn. Clearly they were made to last.
  3. I haven’t had any problems with the fridge I bought last year. I guess they don’t make them like they used to.
  4. Jeans are definitely a fad. People have worn them for decades.
  5. Yeah, I was really shocked by the decline in quality. They don’t make them like they used to.

CHALLENGE

Challenge 1

You and your friend are at a coffee shop. He’s/She’s irritated about something. Talk to him/her about it.

Today's Expressions

  • a fad
  • They don’t make them like they used to.
  • made to last

Speak Your Mind

  • It’s a crapshoot...

Challenge 2

What do you think? What does your tutor think? Discuss.

If Time
Allows
1

QUALITY
2

FADS
1

QUALITY

  1. If something was clearly not made to last but was cheap, would you buy it?
  2. How much do people in your country care about quality?
  3. Do you feel that quality has declined for non-clothing products since you were a child?

2FADS

  1. How much attention do you personally pay to fads?
  2. What were some of the strangest fads you’ve seen?
  3. Why do you think so many people love to follow fads?

FEEDBACK

I can discuss fast fashion.

LESSON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • 4
    Very Good

    Could complete the task with ease

  • 3
    Good

    Could complete the task with some clarifications

  • 2
    Fair

    Could complete the task with additional instructions

  • 1
    Poor

    Could somehow complete the task with difficulty

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK