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Mexico and the United States don't just share a border, they also share ideas about fashion and style. Because of TV and movies, Mexican teenagers can dress exactly like their counterparts to the north--if they want to-- but the brands are different, and so is the culture...
"I think all of the style here comes from the United States or Europe, just two years later," Roberto Lopez Gonzalez, age 19 says while he and his girlfriend, Blanca walk around a popular plaza in the southern part of Mexico City. "Most of it is copied," says Blanca Torres Fria, also age 19. "I'd say the style of the '90's is just copied from the '70's: shoes, pants, tops, hair cuts." |
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| Many Mexican teenagers come to the Tianguis, open-air markets, to haggle for cheap, fun clothes. But there are also stores like Zara, an upscale store from Spain. Zara is featured in Mexican malls, kind of like Banana Republic in the United States. In this picture, Karla Sanchez, Adriana Robles, and Carla Medina look for jeans, half-shirts and cool shoes, just like their role model, Mexican pop-star, Fey. |
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" I like to wear whatever is comfortable. Not out of style, but just comfortable-- jeans, T-shirts, half-shirts, jeans, and jean jackets. Plaid pants are cool." --Sophia Ibarra, 17-years-oldMexicans, male and female, are rarely found without pants or jeans, even in the summer. Mexico City is high up in the mountains, which means the temperature stays between 40 F and 80 F, but even in hot weather, Mexican culture frowns upon exposed legs, or lots of skin. More than 90% of the population in Mexico is Catholic and the Church encourages modesty. |
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Bordering the United States, Mexico has been flooded by movies, music and products from the United States, especially since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took affect in 1994. Many Mexicans worry that Mexico will lose its own traditions and its unique mix of Native and Spanish cultures. Outside of big cities, it is not uncommon to see people in their traditional native Mexican dress. These costumes vary by region and by village, but usually use colorful, hand-woven and embroidered cloths and leather sandals called huaraches (pronounced, more or less, oo-ar-rah-chess). Most teens, however, take their cues from TV and movies and wear more modern clothing. -- Laura Dine lives in Mexico City. As an environmental reporter for the newspaper The News, she wears comfortable clothing that won't slow her down when she's out in the field . |
 in matching jean jackets.
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