Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Who will be the Men's Singles Winner of Australian Open 2024? Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Miami Open Australian Open is a tennis tournament that takes place every year and is the first of four tournaments in which players win Grand Slams. It is hosted in Melbourne, Australia, and this year it began on January 8th for singles, January 15th for doubles, and January 18th for mixed doubles. It is played on hard courts and features the greatest male and female tennis players from across the world. Players advance through rounds to compete in the final when they earn the trophy and Grand Slam championship. Daniil Medvedev vs Alexander Zverev (Semi-final) Daniil Medvedev, destined for greatness, has emerged as the finest athlete of his time. He just advanced to the Australian Open final with a superb 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over Alexander Zverev. It is Medvedev's third Australian Open final, and sixth grand slam final overall, and will be his first against someone other than Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. Medvedev's win against Zverev demonstrates the enormous mental advantage he has developed over his opponent. Even though Zverev controlled their first four games, Medvedev has steadily reversed the trend, winning 11 of their last 13 matches. Medvedev survived both tiebreaks by playing tremendous tennis. Jannik Sinner vs Novak Djokovic (Semi-final) Jannik Sinner won against Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals; it is Djokovic's first loss at this position in a competition. Sinner, a young 22-year-old Italian, dominated Djokovic early and saved a match point by forcing him to hit a forehand into the net. Djokovic could have surrendered peacefully, but he used a lunging backhand and a stunning topspin lob to keep the match alive. Sinner's strength was enhanced by Djokovic's failure to perform even basic Djokovic things early on, such as stretch games until his opponent's play collapsed or utilizing his serve to trap Sinner at the back of the court. Sinner broke Djokovic five times, the final one coming shortly into his final set. Sinner clinched the victory with one final beautiful forehand down the line. After the thrilling wins in the semi-finals against their opponents by both Sinner and Medvedev, they will fight on Sunday for the title and the trophy at Rod Laver Arena. Why could Jannik Sinner win? Jannik Sinner, the Italian tennis player, feels confident despite playing just 19 full sets in the competition, compared to Medvedev's 25. He ended two long-running streaks in late 2023, including victories against Djokovic at the Nitto ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals. Sinner has won over three matches with Medvedev, all occurring around the close of last year. Medvedev's energy levels might also be a concern because he has won two five-set matches in a straight, whereas Sinner has only played one set. Sinner, on the other hand, performed admirably in the semi-finals in terms of groundstroke control and serving. Regardless of his tennis experience, Medvedev could find himself having to shorten points and be more aggressive. In the end, Sinner is projected to maintain his momentum and win his very first Grand Slam championship after defeating the number one. Why could Daniil Medvedev win? Medvedev, with his remarkable resilience, has demonstrated tenacity in defeating Ruusuvuori and Zverev. He is predicted to come out on top over a skilled but inexperienced opponent, Djokovic, who is recovering from his emotional high after getting eliminated and losing the chance of the 11th championship. Sinner hopes to make history as the first Italian to win a Grand Slam since 1976, and his expertise at the highest level is minimal but will be critical. However, nerves may play a role in Sinner's first Slam final, as Medvedev is notorious for his ability to make life difficult for his opponents. Medvedev currently leads their rivalry 6-3, with outdoor hardcourt matches drawn 1-1. “I absolutely admire Daniil Medvedev, but I hope Jannik Sinner wins his first-ever Grand Slam. He really does deserve it a lot, going against number one is no easy thing. He is extremely talented, and his past performances show it. According to the stats he has less of a chance of winning, however, I believe he is playing like he has never and has become the crowd favorite!” - Rehmat K. Sources: https://www.atptour.com/en/news/medvedev-zverev-australian-open-2024-sf https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/jan/26/daniil-medvedev-stuns-alexander-zverev-in-five-set-australian-open-epic-tennis https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/39391142/jannik-sinner-ends-novak-djokovic-australian-open-reign-semifinals https://theathletic.com/5229189/2024/01/26/jannik-sinner-novak-djokovic-at-the-australian-open/ https://www.atptour.com/en/news/medvedev-sinner-australian-open-2024-final-preview https://www.nittoatpfinals.com/en/scores-centre/head-to-head/singles/mm58/s0ag BACK TO TOP

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR WELCOME TO VOLUME 4 January 3rd, 2024 For the 2023-2024 school year, we are pleased to introduce Volume 4 to our readers. I am sure that on par with the previous North Star volumes, this edition will demonstrate the hard work and creativity my peers and I have to offer. Although I am a recent addition to North Star’s leadership team, I have genuinely enjoyed working with the talented writers and artists who make having a publications club here at North possible. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our advisor, Mrs. Mansfield, who dedicates her time to guiding us all in our writing endeavors. Without her leadership and the cooperation of our writers, we would miss the valuable experience of running a publications club. As a publications club, we strive to uphold the standards of modern-day journalism and ensure our readers a diverse selection of articles. From the poetry of POLARIS to the reporting of student news, there is something for everyone. As I see it, journalism holds significance in a school community as it allows us all to share our ideas, passions, and opinions in our ever-changing world. As the Editor-in-Chief, I get to read about numerous events, cultures, people, history, visual arts, and various perspectives; I hope our readers enjoy the reading and learning experience as much as I do. I find that I have become increasingly open-minded as I learn about others' experiences through writing, and I think that is the power of journalism; we get to see a little bit of everyone. We are incredibly fortunate to have the freedom to express ourselves through writing, whether through poetry, film reviews, or a lengthy article. I believe I write on behalf of all our members when I say that part of the reason, we write for North Star is to foster an appreciation for journalism here at Valley Stream North in both the students and the staff. The names “North Star,” and “POLARIS,” and the star names we give each issue, all enhance our prominent astronomy-themed student newspaper. It is a perfectly suitable theme in my opinion. Much like space, the world around us is so vast and impossible to discover entirely; however, sharing our ideas through written works may be our best shot at understanding our dynamic world. For our readers who may be interested in journalism, I encourage you to share your ideas because, like all our current writers, you also have something to contribute. With the right amount of dedication, willingness, and support, we can all find a way to make our voices shine. This year, I hope to work effectively with the other editors and writers to provide plenty of content for our readers, and much like the actual North Star, or Polaris, our student newspaper can always be found in the same place, at any time. Thank you to all our readers and staff for the support they have demonstrated this school year, and I look forward to seeing all this year’s thoughtfully crafted art and editing the thoughtfully written pieces. Stellar regards, Noa Cordova Editor-in-Chief

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections A Dive into the Pop Music of 2024 Mya Hans Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 This year has been big for the music industry, with many songs and artists breaking records and receiving nominations for Grammys. Artists released new albums and started viral trends that will leave an effect on the years to come. Let’s look at some of the most memorable albums and events that took place in the music industry this year. Guts Tour: Olivia Rodrigo Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour started in February and will end in July of next year. Her tour brought a lot of excitement to Gen Z, with many clips of her concert being posted on TikTok and YouTube. She sang popular songs from her discography like “Driver’s License” and “Vampire.” Her songs include slow songs, rock, and pop, with heartfelt, relatable lyrics to people in this generation. Her show in Los Angeles was filmed and released on Netflix, which was titled: GUTS World Tour , and takes fans into the exciting experience of being in the concert. The Eras Tour: Taylor Swift The Eras Tour was a highly successful tour that started last year in March and just ended this December. Taylor Swift, one of the most successful singers of this generation, has managed to have the highest-grossing tour of all time, surpassing musical legends like Michael Jackson and Beyonce. According to Business Insider, “The tour stretched for 149 dates, visited 21 countries, and grossed over $2 billion in ticket sales.” Eternal Sunshine: Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande was released on March 28 and includes beautifully written songs ranging from hip-hop, pop, and ballads. Her album was highly anticipated by the public, considering she hasn’t released one since 2020. This album gave Grande three Grammy nominations and debuted number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Hit me Hard and Soft: Billie Eilish Hit me Hard and Soft was Billie’s Eilish’s third studio album and released on May 17th. This album release was popular, and trending on TikTok. Her songs “Birds of a Feather,” went viral on all platforms, especially TikTok. “Birds of a Feather” was number 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, reflecting its huge success. Brat: Charli XCX The hit album Brat went extremely viral, starting many trends, becoming a cultural phenomenon. It came out on June 7th and immediately started gaining popularity. The song “Apple” became a TikTok dance. And Gen Z, started using the term “Brat Summer” to describe the summer of 2024 and trends. Brat was also used for Kamala Harris’s campaign during the election. Kamala HQ, the official X page for Kamala Harris’ campaign, made her banner Brat themed. Moreover, on TikTok many edits of Kamala have went viral with songs from the Brat Album, and Charli XCX called Kamala Harris “brat” which many seem like an insult, but in Gen Z terms, it’s an extreme compliment, meaning she’s iconic and confident. Short N’ Sweet: Sabrina Carpenter The album Short N’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter was released on August 23rd including hit songs like “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.” Her tour was also trending on TikTok for its catchy songs and her cute outfits, which changed colors every show. The tune of her song “Espresso” was also used in a very popular SNL skit called “Domingo.” This album also hit number one the Billboard 200 and solidified her name in the music industry and in the world, giving her many opportunities like her own Christmas special on Netflix, her own drink at Dunkin, and more. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris, Fiction Back to Sections The Orb Part 3 By Alanna Tieschmaker Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Editor’s note: This piece goes along with the previous two pieces I have written. All three are part of the same series. Despite the task at hand, Richard could not help but gawk at the room before him. His hatred for the king flared as he took in the grandeur before him. It was grander than anything he had seen in his life, and it was only one room. Yet despite this, most of the people of the kingdom lived as peasants, with only the top 10% living in comfort. A huge statue of Jerry Movius, the famous merchant, was centered in the room. Jerry was a huge part of developing the kingdom’s economy. The legends say that with his cloak, named the Cloak of Tharion, he was able to travel through time and space allowing him to know what and when to buy and sell. One day he never showed up to his stall and he was never heard from again. The kingdom, however, continued to prosper from the information left behind by Jerry. Richard shook his head, clearing his thoughts of ancient legends. He had a job to do, and no time to look at all the things he couldn’t have. The bandits did not give him a list of what he needed to take. All they had said was ‘something expensive’. Knowing that it was his brother’s life on the line, Richard endeavored to take the most expensive seeming items he could. Heading through the door to the right, Richard entered a display room. There were exhibits lining the wall, minor artifacts in everyone. The main piece of the room, however, was the circular display case that displayed a rather unassuming shield. It was red and circular, with a metal rim and obvious signs of wear. The description read “The Shield of Ragnor - An artifact from XXXX. It is said to protect its owner from fire and harm.” Richard eyed it warily. It seemed that it wouldn’t be used, but it seemed risky to take something in a central display case. Taking a last glance around the room, he moved on to the next room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He had been through multiple exhibits now, and he still had not found something he could steal. The amount of time was dwindling, the longer he stayed the higher his chance of being caught. The current exhibit displayed a beautiful sword. There were intricate designs along the pommel and grip, yet they were burdened by rust. The improper care was obvious, despite the beauty of it. Once he looked at the display case, he understood why. “The Sword of Elora - A sword reclaimed by the king after stopping riots caused by a rogue princess.” Richard scoffed at the description. The lack of date and the poor quality of the sword made it obvious the king had nothing to do with ‘reclaiming’ the sword or stopping riots. The sword was not even used in recent years but in history. The whispered tales told from village to village did not talk about a ‘rogue princess’. The legends told of a princess who was beloved by her subjects but the daughter of a cruel tyrant. Elora sided with her people and personally led the rebellion and overthrew the cruel ruler. Once they reached the castle, she took on her father but was dealt a fatal blow by him before he died. The people buried her body under her favorite willow tree, which had withstood the fires that burned throughout the day, and her sword was hung above the throne, as a reminder of their princess and what she did for them. The story of Princess Elora was his favorite legend. He aspired to have the courage and bravery she did. Some courage he was showing now… As tempting as it was to take the sword and hold a part of his favorite child story, the security wouldn’t allow an easy escape. Additionally, he wouldn’t want to give the sword to the thugs. They did not deserve to hold it. The king didn’t deserve to hold it either, but at least here it was safe. Uncared for, but safe. Richard was about to move on to the next exhibit when something caught his eye. Turning back towards the corner of the room, he saw a door that he had previously missed, hidden from view. Richard crept closer, taking note of the faded label on the door. ‘Staff only?’ he pondered, weighing his options. ‘Maybe I can find something here that won’t be missed.’ He pushed the door open and entered the room. The room itself was rather unassuming, with grayish-beige walls and a ceiling of a similar color. A dingy window let in just enough light to see the room, but not enough to be considered proper lighting. The light displayed the main focus of the room, boxes stacked on top of each other. Most were covered in layers of dust, indicating the length of time they had remained untouched in the room. The floor was also coated in a light coat of dust except for a long trail of the floor, where something must have been dragged over recently. Richard began his search for an object of value he could steal. With the amount of dust, nothing would be reported missing for weeks. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt drawn to the back of the room. He followed the clearer floor and found another box. Unlike the others, there was barely any dust covering the box. Despite this, Richard felt compelled to open the box. He looked around and found a crowbar hanging on the wall. He grabbed it and put the end underneath the top of the box. He pushed down with all his strength, managing to pry the top off. Peering inside, Richard found an orb. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Thank You! Cody Sung Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching It has been an amazing five years at my fantastic school. I truly enjoyed my time here and I will miss North dearly. I would like to thank everyone for their support and made my educational career a success so far. I started at North going into eighth grade at nine years old. I was very confused, but thanks to many people, I am graduating from North a bit less confused. I want to start my appreciation first by thanking Dr. Small, the principal, Mrs. Buonaspina and Mr. Jara, the assistant principals, Mr. Brodsky and Ms. Bloeth, my guidance counselors, and the Valley Stream Central High School District for all their support during my high school years at North. I would also like to thank all my amazing teachers and club advisors who always offered their guidance and support and always made me feel welcome. I could always stop by and discuss any questions or difficulties I had. They helped make my experience at North unbelievably special. Thank you to the security guards, maintenance crew, and other staff for helping me whenever I needed assistance – especially the security guards, they handled a lot of pretzels. Thank you to my wonderful classmates, peers, and friends – those who have graduated before me, those who are graduated with me, and those who are graduating after me – for all your support. Thank you for helping me when I couldn’t open my locker, or when I dropped my books and water bottle down the stairs, or when I didn’t know where my classes were. Thank you to Mom and Dad for supporting me and always pushing me to the next level – and to my brother, I love you. Finally, I would like to thank everyone at Willow Road, where my educational career started, for all their support. Congratulations and good luck to the class of 2024. -Cody Sung BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The History of Myanmar and Their Coup By Cody Sung Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 No Image available at this time The date is November 8, 2020. The Myanmar elections saw the leading party, National League for Democracy (NLD) win by a landslide. The military said there was widespread fraud as its party was blown away in the landslide. Fast-forward almost three months, and we arrive at February 1st, the day of the coup. The military arrested Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically-elected leader, and other government officials, and installed the commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing, into power. What led up to this, and what’s in store for the future of Myanmar? Let’s rewind to 1948. Myanmar was a British colony, pushing out any native people before colonization. Then, it gained its independence from the British Empire, which by now was rapidly falling apart. Named Burma at the time, the country elected its leaders under a democracy, though its stability was weak. The military, angry at the weak civilian government, performed a coup in 1962, starting off 49 years of military rule. The military dictatorship was socialist, and like other socialist military dictatorships, brutally suppressed protests and opposition to its regime. The dictator tried to do so during a peaceful revolution in 1988. They ended up succeeding, but Ne Win, the leader at the time, resigned, and elections were held. The NLD swept the election with 80% of the seats awarded to them, but the military refused to give up power, and so the military dictatorship continued, up until 2011. In 2011, the military dictatorship was dissolved, after the dictatorship tried to move toward democracy in 2008, and held elections in 2010, but the election is widely considered to be fraudulent. With the military dictatorship at its end, the country transitioned towards true democracy and a mixed economy. This leaves us to where we are right now. The military has taken control over a country that just became a democracy. The military declared a 1-year state of emergency, but it must now deal with protests against their regime. Even with these protests, civil liberties are being restricted, with curfews being put in place for major cities. Will these protests be successful? Will democracy prevail? Sources: BBC News Myanmar coup: What is happening and why? - BBC News Council on Foreign Relations Myanmar’s Troubled History: Coups, Military Rule, and Ethnic Conflict | Council on Foreign Relations (cfr.org) Wikipedia (to use as a starting point for my research) Myanmar - Wikipedia Myanmar coup: What is happening and why? People across Myanmar are taking to the streets after a military coup that saw its leaders detained. www.bbc.com BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Girl’s Badminton Celebrates the Senior Class By Garrick Neuner and Olivia Neuner Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Original photo by Garrick Neuner North’s Girls Badminton team closed out their season with their Senior Game early last week. The team’s underclassmen paid homage to the graduating class with personalized posters for each senior, awarded in a pre-game ceremony wherein Coach Schiavo congratulated the team on their best performing season in recent years. In his parting messages, he gave flowers to the graduates, thanked them for their mentorship, and lauded the accomplishments and character of the seniors, reminding them that “the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.” The entire team got involved in the day’s competition, with all seniors in scoring matches, and underclassmen assisting with scorekeeping or playing exhibition matches. Additionally, the players wore customized t-shirts designed by Olivia Neuner, a keepsake to remind the team of their high school athleticism. Congratulations to the team! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Why Was This Song Nicknamed the Anthem of 2020 By Isabella Menjivar Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Powell Robinson The song “If the world was ending” by Julia Michaels and JP Saxe instantly rose to #5 on the BILLBOARD Top 100 chart on March 21st, 2020. Suddenly it was everywhere: on the radio while driving home after school closed, in stores, commercials, and during pandemic relief fundraiser performances. So why would a song released in October of 2019 suddenly go viral? There’s only one answer: a meaningful reason to play it. Julia Michaels has said in an interview that the song was meant to make people “picture the scenario that such a significant occurrence may actually have the power to bring them together”. In the song we all heard the lyric “I didn’t feel it when the earthquake happened”. But what you may’ve not known is that this lyric isn’t a metaphor, it specifically relates to the Los Angeles earthquakes during the summer of 2019. Once we all saw the title of the song the day lockdowns began back in March, we instantly related and gave it an entirely new meaning. We all felt separated from the rest of the world but brought together with everyone we live with. The song made some think about who they’d want to be by, where they’d want to be, and what they’d do if the world were ending. With a significant meaning to the pandemic, “If the world was ending” was performed for a frontline worker support charity called “Doctors Without Borders”. Julia Michaels and JP Saxe teamed up with singers like Sam Smith and Niall Horan for this special event. Another lyric in the song that’s relevant to our situation is “All our fears would be irrelevant”. We all wish that the fears brought by the pandemic like losing our loved ones, being quarantined, and losing the chance to have activities would go away. Therefore, at the “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” celebration this song earned its title by being presented as “The Anthem of 2020”. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Rise of Pickleball By Cody Sung Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by News12 We are approaching the close of 2022, and during this year you have surely learned of new things you never knew before. Many of us, including myself, have learned of a booming sport: pickleball. Described as “America’s fastest-growing sport” by NPR and other sources, it has a long tail of history behind it. Let’s not forget it. Let’s explore it. Bainbridge Island is not a household name in America. But it is for America’s pickleball. After all, it’s where it started. On a summer like any other in 1965, the Pritchards, McCallums, and Bells all were together in the same rented log cabin. The kids in the family were bored and wanted something to do. So they went to the badminton court and started playing. The adults, noticing the deficiencies in the equipment meant for ping-pong and not for pickleball, crafted new paddles and new balls. According to “History of Pickleball: More Than 50 Years of Fun!”, it rapidly spread across Bainbridge Island during the summer and into Seattle. The game continued to be developed further, with rule changes and further improvements. However, pickleball’s ability to develop further was limited since there was no organization to handle it – yet. That is, until Barney McCallum, Joel Pritchard, and Bill Bell, three key players in the founding of pickleball, put $500 into a novel company: “Pickle Ball Inc.”, founded on February 13, 1968. It would be the company responsible for marketing the pickleball sport to a wider audience. Pickleball experienced further growth, expanding to Hawaii in the 1960s (where it was called pukaball), prevalent in Maui, Florida in the 1970s with a debut in The Villages, a sprawling retirement community, Arizona in the 2000s centered around Surprise, and recently nationwide and internationally, mostly Canada. The growth required a national organization to be created, the United States of America Pickleball Association, USAPA for short. Founded in 2004, it is in charge of rule regulation for pickleball and is the organization to turn to for pickleball. This brings us to today. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, the number of pickleball players has nearly doubled to 4.8 million and is rapidly entering the mainstream, with some estimates predicting over 40 million players by the decade’s end. Why? A combination of tennis, table tennis, and badminton, it is advertised by the USAPA as fun, fast-paced, simple, addictive, and has a strong community perfect for a pandemic boom. The gameplay, as mentioned above, is simple. Designed to have all as equals, not just the strong, emphasizing strategy and error reduction while giving benefits to speed and power. Usually, pickleball is played with doubles; two players on each side. To start, an underhand serve is made diagonally and alternating from the right-hand side of the court to the left-hand. Each server is only allowed one serve attempt. If both servers fault (the ball goes in the net or outside the designated area), the other team gets to serve. Only the serving team has the chance to win points. Games are played to eleven points, however, a team must lead by two to win. While in pickleball it is possible to volley (not letting the ball touch the ground before hitting it, with the exception of the first two shots of the game), there is a no-volley zone, commonly called the kitchen, within seven feet of the net on both sides. It is illegal to volley there. Apart from a few other basic rules, this is it when it comes to pickleball. While pickleball’s simple gameplay and welcoming environment for beginners have allowed it to gain rapid popularity, it has also caused tensions in communities across the United States. Its easy setup, costing only around a few hundred dollars, can transform any hard surface into a pickleball court, including tennis courts, which can be converted into as many as four pickleball courts. Combined with its explosive popularity, it has led to intense turf wars that have divided communities and caused friction with the tennis world. Even in towns that have managed to adapt to pickleball, there is another issue: the noise. Vox has demonstrated the paddles made for pickleball combined with hollow balls cause about twice as much noise on contact as a tennis ball and racket. While not bad on its own, with many pickleball matches going on the noise adds up, and it has caused complaints from residents and bans from parks. Luckily, there is a fix: designated clubs for pickleball, which reduces the strain on public spaces and isolates the noise issue. Developers nationwide are already starting to do so. And for pickleball, it means it is finally on top. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections The Fashion Industry By Ava Sloane Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Kristin Glenn History of Fashion Fashion started with the birth of civilization. Originally, clothes were made from plants, animal skins, and bone. Clothing was usually patterned, sewn, and made within the household. However, during the last three decades, fashion has evolved a great deal. As culture changes, fashion changes with it, looking at clothes as recently as 20 years ago to the tremendous change of fashion during our daily lives. In the beginning era of fashion, it was simple since it was more about practical function than the way it looked. In the 15th and 16th centuries, fashion was influenced by high class society and the European kings and queens (Wikipedia). The new industry focuses on businesses or fashion houses owned by independent designers. The first man to have a mark sewn into his clothes was Charles Frederick Worth in the 19th century (Wikipedia) . Today, social media has had a substantial impact on fashion and how we view it. It provides a platform for fashion-related businesses to create an image for themselves and connect better with their consumers. As social media evolves, so does fashion and the industry. The Advantages and Disadvantages There are many advantages and disadvantages to fashion. For example, some of the disadvantages of fashion and the industry are that many people develop poor body image and bad self-esteem, believing they should dress or look a certain way. More disadvantages of fashion include the environmental perspective. In other words, the fashion industry is one of the major polluting industries in the world. Many landfills all over the world are overflooded with supplies the designers did not use. A few ways fashion is an advantage is that it has the potential to bring different people together to celebrate their own individuality. The best way to enjoy fashion is to wear what you love and be yourself. Fashion, a way to express yourself through clothing, was created a long time ago. Fashion enhances human life because not only does it allow you to dress fashionably, but it also gives an opportunity to be independent in your thinking. These are just a few examples of how fashion has many advantages and disadvantages. How to Learn More The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City hosts an annual fashion show. This year's show is entitled About Time: Fashion and Duration, presenting a timeline of different fashion styles, the exhibit highlights the past, present, and future of the fashion industry. Displaying designers such as Alexander McQueen, Gabrielle Chanel, and Christian Dior, the exhibit truly emphasizes the comparison of fashion styles over the last centuries. However, the exhibition closes on February 7th, 2021, and one does need timed tickets for entry due to social distancing guidelines. BACK TO TOP