At AFS, there are many different styles and tastes. With many economic changes in the world, those things that satisfy those tastes are becoming more and more expensive.
Between fitting in and standing out, every teen has a fashion sense specific to themselves that plays a part into who they are.
“What you wear can make you feel comfortable, confident, and really show a little snippet of you, it can make you feel swagalicious,” Jarius Ford ‘26 said.
Henry Sylva ‘26 said, “You always see someone’s outfit before you get to know who they are as a person.”
When asked how an item is seen as “worth it,” Gio D’Amico ‘27 said, “Clothing that is worth it to me is something I know will last me, I will be confident in, and I am able to reuse with many different outfits.” This response ties into the “Lipstick Index,” a theory which explains that small luxuries are favored more during a poor economic state than larger, expensive items.
Another popular clothing theory is the hemline index. This theory explains that fashion trends correlate with the market trends, meaning that whatever the state of the economy, the way people dress will follow – which could be an explanation for a rise in fast fashion amongst teenagers, as it is cheap and looks good depending on the manufacturer.
Influencers also have a hand in fashion trends. Christian Bryant ‘27 said, “If I see something online that looks good, I’ll get some of the pieces and put it together with my own swag added.”
Naomi Grant ‘29 disagreed. She said she prefers “to create what I feel comfortable in with things I find in my room.”
The styles of AFS aren’t the only worries our community faces. The food tastes of our hungry growing teens are a factor as well.
According to a study done by The Counter, parents spend around $51,790 feeding teens from ages 13 to 19, spending an average of $143 on food per week. This price ranges per household. According to the study, “Middle-income, two-parent households with an annual before-tax household income of $59,200 to $107,000 can expect to spend about $3,543 to feed a 16-year-old in a year. A two-parent household with combined incomes less than $59,000 spends $2,921 feeding its teen, and households that net more than $107,000 spend about $4,724 each year.”
The Farmhouse, a popular food service location at AFS, receives a portion of the annual food funds spent by parents. When RaShawn Kim ‘28 was asked about the prices in the farmhouse and his preferred way to eat, he said “The prices are unbelievably high, it’s crazy how the prices are in there. I usually bring lunch from home but I like Miss Kia so I try to buy from the farm.”
Paige Johnson ‘26 said, “Why spend money there when I can just make something at home and bring it?”
It is very clear that the AFS student body is extremely aware and concerned of how and where they spend their money. Our teens are getting ready for a financial world, one hoodie, pack of gummy bears, and dollar at a time.
Ava Ruff • Nov 12, 2025 at 2:15 pm
The perspective of this article is based on style and how that brings in a wave of confidence, which helps you be the person you want to be. When it comes time to shop and buy things that interest me, I like to purchase items that will last me a mass amount of time and has the ability to be worn or used more than once.With this system, I have successfully been able to purchase items of good quality, and it makes me feel confident in myself. With access to many different social media platforms, at times, it gets easy to be influenced by what other people are doing. As I have been on social media for a few years now, I have gotten better at being able to see what others have, but not having the urge to want it for myself. It was important that I let myself know to stay true to myself and only want things that I truly like, because at the end of the day it it is my life, and I cannot let anyone take over it.
Faye • Nov 11, 2025 at 7:29 pm
When I think about fashion I think about each one of us having our own unique styles that fits the person just right. For some fashion may be thrifting, online shopping, and maybe even wearing the clothes their parents once wore. Fashion is more than just clothes, it can start and bring communities together. Fashion is the way to express yourself. Like every other child I would wear whatever my parents got me but then as I got older I started to experiment with clothes. I would start going to the thrift store with my grandma and buy things I wouldn’t usually get anywhere else. This really helped me find where I stand in fashion and style. I am more of the type to dress pretty basic but that’s what I feel most comfortable in.
Kenzie • Nov 11, 2025 at 1:22 pm
When it comes to my closet, I tend to get very meticulous with what comes in and out of it. My family tends to spoil me a hefty amount when it comes to clothing because they know it’ll last me. Whether it’s nostalgic or materialistic, I’ve been taught that how I dress is one of people’s first impressions of me. However, when it comes to food, I can say that I’m a little more conscious. I just find it to be a little more efficient to bring snacks from home than to just buy from the school, since it’ll add up. Especially outside food services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc. are also where some of my problems arise, especially during the summer. Last school year, I nearly spent $500 each month buying Starbucks every morning before school. The months prior to that, when I was living in LA for a few months with my aunt, we didn’t cook at home. However, as the months passed, we realized it would be best to cook at home. Honestly, the effort and appreciation that goes into making your own meal could never beat eating out sometimes.
Anthony • Nov 10, 2025 at 1:38 pm
When I think about fashion, I think about name brands, designer outfits, etc. When I where something I usually where it because I feel comfortable in it and I want to wear the cloths my parents bought for me. When I think about the finances with clothes. I try to stay away from things I can get for a cheaper price. A lot of things are overprice for the wrong reasons and I try to look at places where it isn’t super expensive.
Paige Sammin • Nov 7, 2025 at 4:07 pm
When it comes to fashion, I tend to get persuaded by social media. I wear clothes that are trendy and pretty in my opinion. My parents usually buy food and clothes for the family, so I didn’t really understand the financial factor until this year. I try to stay away from crazy expensive things, especially food since it’s one time use. At least for clothes, I can wear them again and again until I eventually grow out of them.
Percy • Nov 7, 2025 at 9:24 am
I think that the farmhouse and clothing at AFS is a very open and honest community when considering finances. While the farmhouse is expensive, students can use meal plans to buy food from the farmhouse and there is such a large selection of both healthy and unhealthy snacks that I think the pricing of the farmhouse is okay. However, I think it is interesting how financially focused the students of AFS are considering how expensive school merch is. One hoodie is roughly $40 so it makes it seem like AFS expects students to pay a lot just to have school merch which I think goes against how the community views the role of clothing in self expression.
Paige J • Nov 6, 2025 at 6:25 pm
The perspectives shared in this article highlight how AFS students are becoming more financially aware of their choices, whether that’s food, or clothing. And the shift to food cost at AFS and how students choose to spend their money at the school also adds another layer and forces students to be more careful with their money when it comes to lunch time. When things are too expensive, there is a choice to not spend so much and bring something from home. I am not the best at being financially responsible, especially when it comes to food and clothing. But when I am running low on my own money, I start to think about whether or not I actually need what I desire to purchase. In recent months, my spending has gone up significantly, which has definitely caused me to rethink who I save and spend. Social media has impacted my consumption habits in negative and positive ways, like seeing people over consume makes me want to cut back,and seeing something I really like on social media makes me want to spend. So it really is how I choose to be responsible with my money at that moment.
Una • Nov 7, 2025 at 5:49 pm
The kinds of “things,” clothes, accessories, even the food we favor at AFS are all expensive. One walk down the hallway is a fairly significant spread of Owala water bottles ($30/16oz) Summer Fridays lip balm, ($25) or Adidas Sambas ranging anywhere from $65-$120 (and that’s only the stuff I have on me currently). So, why do so many of us feel the need to own so many of these items, most of which are microtrends and will be out of style in a couple of months, or maybe a year. I think most of us own these items because someone else has them. The free water bottle my dad got at a bike race functions very much the same as my Owala, and there are probably 9,000 lip balms for a fraction of the cost of Summer Fridays, and yet, both are currently in my backpack. AFS should explore ways to encourage students to decenter brands to build stronger connections. (let me be very clear- there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking ANY of the aforementioned products. I just think it could be an interesting idea to put less weight on the physical objects we have to allow for more space for genuine connections.)
Elise C • Nov 5, 2025 at 10:28 pm
I really like all the personal perspectives immersed in this article! Personally, I have to agree that when making decisions for buying clothing, I have a preference for quality over price. (as long as the price for the well-manufactured item is reasonable) Although, once in a while, I agree that trends do have an impact on what is desired to purchase. For instance, ESSENTIALS hoodies are popular, so many people would then want this product. In the case of food, a good tip is to compare prices. When you find out what is a good bargain vs. what a price increase is, this can definitely enhance your financial awareness and give you a sense of the average cost of a product. (Eggs for example) Overall, being a teenager means having more financial liberty, and hence the importance of financial literacy; when prices are skyrocketing, or even when they’re more stable, it’s always a good tool to imbue the cost and quality of products that are being purchased.
Divya B • Nov 5, 2025 at 10:28 am
I agree with everything said in this article, and I think that the financial world in general has become a lot more aware of how we spend our money and where we spend it. Ever since becoming a teenager, I have been aware that income is different for everyone and its important how you spend your money, and to think about whether the amount is right for your family’s specific circumstance. I think that social media has a large impact on our clothing choices and where we choose to shop, especially being American teenagers in 2025. I think it is important for all of us to inherit our own style to show our true identity, no matter what others say.