In our last class we discussed how the hit television show Friends portrays regular life but out of outrageous lifestyle in real life. In addition to that the hit series Sex and the City does the same. I recently read online that not one single character would be able to live the lifestyle they portray on the show. Carrie would never be able to live in a one bedroom apartment in New York and buy $400 shoes with a $1,000 handbag on writer’s wage. Samantha would have to pinch pennies together each month to match her lifestyle. Charlotte would never make it because she lives only off of her divorce settlement which would run out in a couple of months. Miranda may be a lawyer in the city but would never be able to have that beautiful apartment and be able to support her baby on her wage. But yet with every episode we see them drink cosmos, dine at trendy restaurants, go out on the town, and shop at the top designers. The sad part is most women look up to this show and the wonderful lifestyle they portray and desire it for themselves.
In many popular magazines there are sections on how to dress like celebrities, showing how to make an outfit similar to one just worn by a celebrity. However, the real outfit is over $2,000 and the knock off version is only a $600. Who has $600 for one outfit?
People, especially women, watch television shows, movies, and read magazine about these wonderful lifestyles and want them as their own. How would anyone be able to afford their lifestyle even though the media portrays them as regular people? Is the media setting us up for failure? What happened to the American Dream? That must be a distance memory with celebrities, movies, television, and fashion taking over importance in our lives.
