IELTS Speaking part 1 | Clothing

Most probably this question is easier to answer for women as they tend to pay more attention to fashion and the latest trends than men.

Think about the following –

1. Do you follow the latest fashions?
2. Do you buy magazines to get ideas about fashion?
3. Are you not really bothered about fashion?

Examples

• Yes, as a woman I like to keep up with the latest trends the same as most women. I usually buy a couple of fashion magazines each month to see what other people are wearing and what is in at the moment. I also like to keep up with what the stars are wearing as they usually have good fashion sense. I like to buy nice clothes when I go shopping and always pay attention to what my favourite brands are offering.
• To be honest, I am not that fashion conscious really. I just wear the clothes I like and feel comfortable in. I don’t have to wear the latest fashion as I like to be a little individual rather than just wearing what everyone else is. Although people think they are being fashionable I tend to think it just makes everyone look the same, for example lots of men have beards these days copying everyone one else, but I couldn’t stand to grow one as I find them really irritating.

There are always occasions when we get dressed up and wear our best clothes. Also, some candidates may still be at high school and have to wear a uniform. In some countries traditional clothing may still be worn.

Think about these questions –

1. On what occasions do you usually dress up?
2. Do you have to wear certain clothes for school or work?
3. In your country is traditional clothing still worn?

Examples

• If I go to meet up with friends I always put on a nice outfit as we usually go for a meal or a drink. For work, I have to wear business clothes which are really boring so it’s nice to dress up at the weekends and makes me feel good. If I am going to a wedding or other formal gathering, then I will wear more formal clothes, a little conservative.
• Monday to Friday I usually wear a suit for work. They do have a dress down Friday so sometimes I will just throw on a shirt with a pair jeans and trainers. At the weekends if I am going out it will be jeans and a shirt with a pair of smart shoes or boots but if I am just hanging about around the house, I will wear a T shirt and joggers.

As we get older our fashion sense and style of clothing usually changes.

Have a look at these questions –

1. How has your fashion changed over the last decade?
2. Do you still wear the same style of clothes now?

Examples

• Definitely, when I was at high school and university, I didn’t really follow fashion that much. Since I left university and started working, I became much more interested in fashion as I often go shopping with my friends, and as I mentioned earlier, I like to buy fashion magazines. Ten years ago, I would usually just wear casual clothes that were comfortable, joggers and T shirts. I didn’t really go out much back then, so I wasn’t really that bothered how I dressed.
• My style of dress hasn’t really changed at all. Obviously, I have to wear a suit for work, but I have no choice about that. I still wear the same kind of clothes when I go out or spend time around the house.

This question could be answered with the style of clothing people wear, or the colour of the clothes.

Take a look at these questions –

1. What does the style of clothes say about someone?
2. Do colours tell us anything about a person’s personality?

Examples

• I think you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. I know a lot of people say ‘you should never judge a book by its cover’ but we all do that. If someone was wearing messy clothes, then I would say they may be lazy or disorganised. If someone was wearing smart clothes and immaculately dressed, I would say they were confident, serious about their appearance, and the image they project. It’s like when you have a job interview, the employers are making a value judgement when they look at how you have dressed, at least I think so.
• Well, it is said we always judge by first appearances and I think that is true. If someone is wearing dark colours, then I would guess they are quite introverted whereas if someone is wearing bright coloured clothes, I would say they were an extrovert. Of course, we have sub-cultures like punks and goths and people that follow these fashion styles have preferences for certain music. So, I would say clothes can tell us quite a bit about the person.