ESL discussion questions about fashion.

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How to use the fashion ESL discussion questions

It is recommended that you download the fashion ESL discussion questions in PDF format using one of the links above. The best way to encourage classroom interaction is to download and print the fashion discussion questions in the 'pairs' or 'threes' PDF format and then divide the questions by cutting along the dotted lines. This allows students to take turns asking and answering the fashion discussion questions in groups of two or three. Alternatively, you could use the 'cards' format to distribute the questions to any number of students to ask and share.

It is advisable to prepare students for using these discussion questions by first introducing them to the topic of fashion in an interesting and engaging way. An anecdote, quiz question or a related image or video could all be used to achieve this. Depending on the level, it may also be necessary to pre-teach any challenging vocabulary related to fashion contained in the discussion questions.

For more ESL discussion questions, see this site's main page. There are discussion questions on a range of topics including general, grammar and business English topics.

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Fashion English: How to Talk About Clothing, Trends and Styles

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It is typical to hear about fashion every day. You may watch it on TV, read it from magazines, or hear someone you know talk about it. While different people give different importance to fashion, it is normal to be engaged in a conversation that speaks about it. Many like to discuss it because fashion and style can influence how you will be perceived and treated. It can suggest something about your background and orientation. 

Learning how to talk about fashion helps you describe clothes, trends, people, and even your personal style and taste in clothing. Not only will you be able to be more descriptive and on point, but you will also sound more sophisticated. It will make engaging in fashion and style-related conversations easier when you attend events and talk with fashion-conscious individuals. Knowing the right vocabulary and expression to say will also allow you to suggest or compliment someone. Moreover, you can talk about the latest fashion or your preferred style. This post will provide you with common expressions, vocabulary, and tips used when talking about fashion. They are categorized according to subtopics that you will most commonly encounter in fashion-related conversations.

Talking about your clothing

People can get curious and be interested in your clothing when they find it nice or suits you well.  In most cases, they might ask you about it. When talking about the clothing item you wear, you can provide basic details to describe it. You can talk about the material used and the design or the pattern on it. Also, you can ask questions if you are curious about other clothing as well. 

Talking about the material

fashion esl topic

What’s the material used in your shirt?

What clothing fabric types do you like for your clothes?

Possible responses: 

I like cotton because it’s comfortable and breathable. 

I mostly wear wool or knitted clothes during winter.

This shirt is made of linen. 

Tip: Notice that the name of the clothing item is usually mentioned when speaking about clothing preference. Examples of this are t-shirt, blouse, blazer, and jeans. There are plenty of terms used to tell what exactly you are wearing, and many of them are common terms that you are already most probably familiar with.

To answer the question about the material used in your clothing, you can familiarize yourself with the most commonly used fabric. It would also help if you know the suited fabric types for every season, so you’ll easily identify what your clothes are made of if it is not indicated on the label. Fabrics that are typically used for clothing are cotton, linen, silk, wool, denim, corduroy, and synthetic fabrics. 

Talking about design

fashion esl topic

Another way to describe your clothing is to provide details about its design. This is usually done by naming the pattern used on your apparel. The most common questions, expressions, and terms used when talking about patterns are listed below. 

Questions: 

What kind of pattern do you usually like for your clothes?

What kind of pattern do you like the most?

What kind of design do you like the least?

Possible responses:

I usually like floral prints.

I prefer vertical stripes for my clothes because it makes me look thinner.

I like simple designs, so I usually go for plain ones. 

I am not much into printed shirts.

Helpful Vocabulary

Floral print – kind of print that displays flowers.

Stripes – a design that shows a line pattern which could be vertical or horizontal.

Plain – pertains to the type of design that does not have any prints and usually appears in one color. 

Check/checkered – kind of print that shows squares of different colors

Printed – refers to the design where an image or text is printed on the piece of clothing.

Talking about style

fashion esl topic

You can talk about style if you want to know the preferred and most comfortable way of dressing for someone. This topic could suggest your personality and the image you want to portray since it is often linked to image.

How would you describe your style?

What’s your favorite style of clothing?

I’m into classy clothes. 

I always wear stylish clothes because I like to look presentable and smart.

My preferred style is stylish and classy.

Vocabularies related to style: 

fashion – refers to a popular trend that is accepted at a certain time or place. It can quickly change; hence what is “in” today can be out of trend in a few weeks or months.

style – is your preferred manner of dressing to look more attractive. It is often based on what fits your body type. Since it is a personal preference, it doesn’t easily change.

taste – a word you can use to talk about your preferences and likes.  

Tip: You can use the following adjectives below to easily describe your style

classy – a term used when referring to a more elegant and sophisticated taste

stylish -means that something looks tastefully designed

chic – refers to a look that is stylish, smart, and elegant

snazzy – means stylishly fancy, or flashy

Talking about the dress code

fashion esl topic

For every occasion and social events like gala, wedding, and formal dinner, you are expected to dress accordingly because these are considered special. The guidelines that suggest the appropriate style of clothing for a specific occasion is called dress code. Conversations that would require you to talk about dress code are those instances when you have to be informed or asked about the suited apparel to wear at an event. 

What is the dress code for the wedding?

What is the stated dress code on the wedding invitation?

We are supposed to wear smart casuals in the hotel restaurant.

The dress code for the wedding is formal wear.

Helpful vocabulary:

For gatherings like weddings, formal events at work, or having dinner with dignitaries, you are usually expected to wear formal clothes. This includes wearing suits and tuxedos for men while elegant dresses, gowns, and shoes with heels for women.

Business formal

This style is usually seen in situations like job interviews, business meetings, and other work-related occasions where you are expected to look presentable and professional. For business formal, you usually wear clothing items that are in a neutral color. To avoid drawing attention to what you wear, you avoid bright colors or prints with suggestive images or text on your clothing. For the business formal dress code, skirts, slacks, and blazers are typically worn by women, while polo, necktie, and shirt are worn by men. 

Smart casual 

Smart casual refers to a more comfortable style of dressing that looks professional and presentable. This dressing manner can be seen during work meetings, job interviews, and when going to a fine-dining restaurant. For this type of style, you can wear cardigans and clothing pieces in plain colors. This is also known as “dressy casual.”

This is the dressing style that you apply when you are going out to shop, visit a friend, or dine in a restaurant with a relaxed setting. This style is comfortable and allows you to move freely. Clothes that are typical worn in this category are denim jeans, t-shirts, shorts. For footwear, you put on sandals or sneakers.

Leisurewear

While there are no written rules that tell how you should dress when you are enjoying your free time, it is typical that people prefer to wear something breathable and stretchy. Leisurewear is the informal clothing that you wear in your free time, weekends, and vacations. These clothes are designed to be worn for leisure activities or when you’re resting or relaxing. These clothes are not appropriate for a work environment. 

Giving a compliment about someone’s style or clothing

fashion esl topic

Giving a compliment to others is common when you like their style or if they are wearing something that fits them. You express your appreciation to make them aware that they look good. You also ask questions to know about their clothing piece or learn some tips from them. 

Are you wearing a  new shirt? 

Where did you get your shirt? It looks good on you.

Sample compliments:

I like your style.

You’ve got a pretty good sense of taste.  

Your shirt looks good on you.

I like your shirt’s fit on you. 

Your shirt suits you. 

You should wear casual clothes more often. It looks good on you. 

Tip 1: Using different adjectives will help you to easily compliment other people. It will enable you to provide convincing remarks by accurately describing the look that someone is eliciting. 

Sample compliments:  

Your dress is well-fitted on you.

Nice suit! It’s well-tailored.

Helpful vocabulary

Well-tailored – this means that your clothing is well made and well-cut that it fits your body perfectly.

Well-fitted – you use this word when you want to describe that an apparel is perfectly suited because it has the right shape and size for the person who’s wearing it.

Well-matched – this term is used when you refer to well-chosen pieces of clothes. The carefully picked clothing items look appealing because they have a nice combination and complement each other. 

Well-dressed – to be well-dressed means that you are wearing smart and elegant clothing that makes you even more attractive.

Flattering – this adjective is used when you want to express that someone looks better or more attractive than usual.

Tip 2: To make your compliment more credible, you can provide reasons on why someone’s style or clothing looks good on him. 

Nice jeans! It makes you look much taller and slimmer.

Your shirt suits you. It makes you look smarter. 

You are well-dressed today. You look attractive.

Additional Tip: When you are given a good compliment, it’s better to provide a courteous response. You can also provide positive remarks about their style if you find it good as well.

Thanks. That’s nice of you.

Thanks, I like your style too.

You’ve got a nice shirt too. 

By using the given expression, tips, and vocabulary above, you will sound more confident when talking about fashion, may you be a fan of it or not. By providing descriptive and detailed statements, you will be better understood by your conversation partner. Familiarize yourself and keep on practicing, so whenever you encounter a situation where you have to talk about a fashion-related topic, you will sound more natural. Moreover, to keep yourself updated, expand your fashion vocabulary. New and creative ways to talk about fashion are coined and produced from time to time by individuals working in the fashion industry, so you will always have something to learn about fashion.

Need to learn more fashion-related words? Sign up and start learning English with us today. LingualBox offers courses that will help you to easily and confidently speak in English. Choose the right course for you, and we will coach you to be more fluent quickly.

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fashion esl topic

“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” Miuccia Prada, Italian fashion designer
  • December 5, 2021
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LESSON OVERVIEW

This free ESL lesson plan on fashion has been designed for adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student.

Do you know what the cool kids are wearing these days? No, me neither. But for fashionistas, knowing what is in fashion is extremely important. They wouldn’t what to be caught wearing last season’s styles! Oh the horror! Perhaps when we were younger, we followed the trends of the time, but these days, it’s better to play it safe with jeans and a t-shirt, items that will never go out of fashion. But fashion isn’t just about looking good. There’s a darker side to the fashion industry from the damaging effect fast fashion has on the environment, to the effect it has on our self-esteem. In this ESL lesson plan on fashion, students will have the opportunity to discuss and express their opinions on issues such as what fashion is, how important it is (or isn’t), and the effect of fashion on society.

This lesson plan could also be used with your students to debate these issues for Fashion Revolution Day , which takes place in April, or World Fashion Day , which takes place in July. For more lesson plans on international days and important holidays, see the  calendar of world days  to plan your classes for these special occasions.

For advice on how to use this English lesson plan and  other lesson plans  on this site, see the  guide for ESL teachers .

PRE-CLASS ACTIVITIES

Reading activity Before the English class, send the following article to the students and ask them to read it while making a list of any new vocabulary or phrases they find (explain any the students don’t understand in the class):

Artful Living | Who Decides What’s Cool Now?

The article looks at fashion trends and examines where they come from. In the past, according to the article, trends were set by fashion designers and magazines. These days, there is a “democracy of cool” set by Gen Z on social media. At the start of the class, hold a brief discussion about what the students thought about the article. What do they think about the issues raised in the article? Do they agree with what was said? Can they think of any ways they might disagree with the content of the article?

Video activity To save time in class for the conversation activities, the English teacher can ask the students to watch the video below and answer the listening questions in Section 3 of the lesson plan at home. There are intermediate listening questions and advanced listening questions so teachers can decide which would be more appropriate for their students. Check the answers in the class.

The video for this class is called “The true cost of fast fashion” by The Economist which looks at fast fashion and its effects on the environment.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

The focus in the class is on conversation in order to help improve students’ fluency and confidence when speaking in English as well as boosting their vocabulary.

This lesson opens with a short discussion about the article the students read before the class. Next, the students can give their opinion on the quote at the beginning of the lesson plan – what they think the quote means and if they agree with it. This is followed by an initial discussion on the topic including whether the students consider themselves fashionistas, how they would describe their fashion style, and whether you have to spend a lot of money to be fashionable.

After this, students will learn some vocabulary connected with fashion such as deigner label , dressed to kill and fashion icon . This vocabulary has been chosen to boost the students’ knowledge of less common vocabulary that could be useful for preparing for English exams like IELTS or TOEFL. The vocabulary is accompanied by a cloze activity and a speaking activity to test the students’ comprehension of these words.

If the students didn’t watch the video before the class, they can watch it after the vocabulary section and answer the listening questions. Before checking the answers, ask the students to give a brief summary of the video and what they thought about the content.

Finally, there is a more in-depth conversation about fashion. In this speaking activity, students will talk about issues such as negative effects of the fashion industry on society, the conditions under which clothes are made, and the importance of fashion in the future.

After the class, students will write about their opinion of fashion. This could be a short paragraph or a longer piece of writing depending on what level the student is at. The writing activity is designed to allow students to practise and improve their grammar with the feedback from their teacher. For students who intend to take an international English exam such as IELTS or TOEFL, there is an alternative essay question to practise their essay-writing skills.

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21 ESL conversation questions about fashion and clothes

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  • Posted by by Cameron Smith
  • May 22, 2021
  • Updated April 17, 2023

According to Rachel Zoe, “style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” But if your ESL students want to speak confidently in English, helping them learn how to discuss clothes and fashion is an essential step on the path to fluency.

Arrange your students into groups or pairs and have them work their way through these ESL conversation questions about clothes and fashion.

  • Do you think that you’re judged on the way you dress? If so, how?
  • Is dressing well important to you?
  • How would you describe your personal style?
  • Why do you enjoy this style more than others?
  • Do you like buying designer brands?
  • Where do you go shopping for clothes?
  • Do you enjoy shopping at secondhand or “thrift” stores?
  • What is your favourite item of clothing? Why?
  • What is your favourite fashion accessory? Why?
  • Who are your favourite fashion designers?
  • How much time do you spend getting ready in the morning?
  • How often do you go clothes shopping?
  • How much money do you spend on clothes and shoes each month? What about each year?
  • What’s the most you’ve ever spent in a single clothes shopping trip?
  • Would you spend more if you could afford it?
  • Do you like to keep up with fashion trends?
  • What is your favourite fashion trend?
  • What is your least favourite fashion trend?
  • Do you think it’s okay for people to dress up their pets?
  • Do you prefer to shop for clothes online or in a physical store?
  • Do you enjoy shopping for clothes?

What ESL Discussion Topics and ESL conversation questions should we write about next? Let us know in the comments!

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ESL Conversation Topics

  • Intermediate

designer dresses

  • 1.0 Overview
  • 3.0 Vocabulary
  • 4.0 Conversation Questions

Fashion is a popular and ever-changing topic that offers a wealth of opportunities for English learners to practice their language skills.

Discussing fashion requires using descriptive adjectives, discussing personal preferences and comparing and contrasting different styles and trends. This helps learners improve their vocabulary, grammar and speaking skills, while also learning about cultural differences and customs related to fashion.

Additionally, discussing fashion can be a fun and engaging way to practice language skills, as learners can share their own interests and personal styles and engage in creative discussions with others.

A Bit About Fashion

Fashion is a huge industry that most people can relate to. It includes the clothes we wear, accessories we use and how we present ourselves.

Many people try to keep up with the latest fashion trends by following celebrities and social media influencers. Some are really into fashion and will spend thousands on designer outfits to look good and be seen.

Fashion is not only about clothes, but also includes the things we have, like the type of car we drive or where we buy our coffee. People want to look good and show off what they have. However, some rich people see fashion as a waste of money and focus on value for money and quality instead.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • fashionable (adjective)
  • latest (adjective)
  • be into (phrasal verb)
  • influencer (noun)
  • celebrity (noun)
  • trend (noun)
  • quality (noun)
  • show off (phrasal verb)
  • outfit (adjective)

Conversation Questions

My Image

  • Would you say that you are fashion concious?
  • How important is fashion in your life?
  • Why do you think some people think keeping up with the latest fashion is so important?
  • Would you say keeping up with the latest fashion is expensive?
  • How much influence do celebrities or influencers have over your fashion choices?
  • In terms of fashion, what do you think is more important, the clothes you wear or the mobile phone you have?
  • If you had enough money, would you buy expensive designer clothes?
  • Do you think social media has increased people was awareness of fashion?
  • Would you say that keeping up with the latest fashion is just a waste of money?
  • Were you more interested in fashion when you were young or now?
  • Do you think fashion is more important to older people or younger people?
  • Do you think fashion is more important for men or women?

Keep The Conversation Going!

Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.

Topic: Fashion

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Fashion, fashion everywhere

In this worksheet students go through a variety of discussion questions about fashion. They also choose between opposing statements, explain their choices and come up with their own definition of ‘fashion’. There is also a set of quotations related to different aspects of fashion.

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Cultural appropriation

In this lesson, students watch a video about cultural appropriation in fashion and learn some vocabulary. The lesson also includes lots of speaking activities for advanced students.

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Will we wear fish skin?

In this lesson, students talk about the fashion industry and use advanced vocabulary to praise or criticise someone or something. 

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Will your future clothes be made like this?

In this lesson students practise their listening skills while watching a video about 3D printed clothes. They also work with advanced synonyms for make and discuss the implications of 3D printing technology.

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When I want to feel comfortable, I wear…

In this lesson, students learn how to use the verbs look (like) and feel (like) and watch an ad for a shirt. They also do several A2 speaking activities, which gives them plenty of opportunities to talk about clothes.

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In this lesson about the history of the hoodie, your students will discover the origins of this iconic garment (and some others) and learn several adjectives for talking about clothes.

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England’s most eccentric dresser

Thanks to this lesson plan, students will learn and practise adjectives for describing clothes and outfits as well as watch a TED Talk by Daniel Lismore.

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Slow fashion: an alternative to fast fashion

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FASHION LESSON PLAN

The problem with fast fashion

This lesson plan focuses on the issue of fast fashion and engages students in a discussion about fashion and the environment in the 21st century.

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LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Talking about fashion.

fashion esl topic

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

Type of English: General English

Tags: fashion B2 First (FCE) clothes Speaking

Publication date: 08/22/2021

This short worksheet presents a list of questions designed to get your students talking about fashion . The lesson plan includes a self-study preparation task, in which students can learn key words by heart before the lesson using Expemo.

Some of the questions were interesting enough to develop into say, a game of pictionary (Strangest fashions you have seen), or a structured debate (Piercings) or a discussion on say, police uniforms (do people feel different in different clothes). I like the link to flashcards and extension activities very much.

I love these speaking classes but I wish there were different levels, especially C1-C2 level.

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COURSE PLANS

This comprehensive course plan covers the full range of language needs – listening, role play, vocabulary development.

Worksheets in English Speaking and Conversation course plan

fashion esl topic

Type of English: General English Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

fashion esl topic

Type of English: General English Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

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Conversation Questions Clothes & Fashion

Questions on styles, clothing and fashion-based stereotypes.

 English Discussion on  Fashion

 esl discussions.com.

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THE DISCUSSION ON FASHION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

fashion esl topic

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English Conversation Topics on Fashion

  • Fashion and me
  • Latest fashion trends
  • Designer collaborations and partnerships
  • Sustainable and ethical fashion
  • Fashion influencers and bloggers
  • Fashion week and runway shows
  • Fashion photography and editorial spreads
  • Fashion and technology innovation
  • Celebrity style and red carpet fashion
  • Street style and urban fashion trends
  • Vintage and retro fashion revivals
  • Fashion in film and television
  • Fashion and social media marketing
  • Fashion and pop culture intersections
  • Fashion and body positivity
  • Fashion and mental health advocacy
  • Fashion and politics (e.g. cultural appropriation)
  • Fashion and the arts (e.g. costume design)
  • Fashion and tourism (e.g. fashion destinations)
  • Fashion and wellness (e.g. athleisure)
  • Teaching secondary
  • Intermediate B1

Fashion statements

This is a staged discussion activity which focuses on students' personal opinions of style and fashion.

fashion esl topic

This activity was originally published as part of a lesson plan on individual style.

  • Before doing this activity, give your students some statements on the board and ask them if they agree or disagree.
  • Then ask them how much they agree or disagree with it. Draw a line on the board like this and fill in the space along the line with other expressions to express degrees of agreement.
  • In the middle you can have ‘neither agree, nor disagree' etc.

Totally disagree -------------------------------------------------- Completely agree

  • Then put students in pairs or small groups to discuss to what extent they agree with the statements.

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight

fashion esl topic

25 clothing conversation questions

Clothing conversation questions.

Clothing is a part of all our daily lives. It can show how we feel, our tastes, our occupation, and even our social status. Use these interesting clothing conversation questions to have a fun discussion on the matter and see what your friends and students like and dislike about clothes.

For a closely related topic, you will also want to have a look at the fashion conversation questions .

The most difficult terms in the clothing discussion questions activity include – ironing, fabric, torn, spilled, family members, secondhand, hiking, culture, receive, formal, informal, occasion, and accessory.

The clothing conversation questions are –

Describe your favorite piece of clothing. When and where did you get it?

What do you think the world would be like if everybody wore the same clothing?

Do you wash your clothing or does somebody else do it? How often do you wash it?

Do you iron your clothes? What kinds of clothing do you think don’t need ironing?

What fabric do you most like the feel of? Is it expensive where you live?

Have you ever torn or spilled something on your clothing? What did you do about it?

Are you or anyone in your family able to make any clothing? What can you make?

In which country is most of your clothing made? Why do you buy this clothing?

Which kinds of plants are used to make clothing? Do they grow in your country?

What kinds of clothing do you usually wear in the different seasons of the year?

If you could only wear one set of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Do you ever buy secondhand clothing? Do your family members pass down clothing?

What would you say is the best clothing for hiking in a jungle or in the mountains ?

How often do you buy clothes? Is there a special time of year when you buy clothing?

Which culture’s clothing interests you the most? What colors do the people wear?

If you were going to spend $2000 on clothing, where would you go to spend it?

Have you ever received very ugly clothing as a gift? What did you do with it?

How do dress differently on formal and informal occasions? Why do you do this?

When was the last time you wore your best clothes? What was the reason for this?

Have you ever had any clothing stolen from you? What was it and how was it stolen?

In what ways do city and countryside people dress differently in your home country ?

What do you think about people buying clothing for their pets? Would you do this?

Do you own any clothing or accessories made from animal skin? What are they?

How do you think you will dress when you are in your old age ? Why do you think so?

traditional clothing from an Amazon jungle tribe

Related clothing idioms

Introduce, discuss, and make example sentences with these related idioms once you have completed the clothing conversation questions.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing is something that looks to be harmless but is in actual fact dangerous or bad. This expression is most often used to describe people.

The person who wears the pants or trousers in the family or a relationship is the boss or person in control.

If someone tells you to put a sock in it , they are telling you to shut up and be quiet.

Your best clothing can be referred to as your Sunday best . An older no longer popular variation of this expression is roast-meat clothes .

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Dialogue/Debate Worksheet: Fast Fashion – The True Cost of Clothes (Intermediate-Advanced)

In this fashion debate worksheet, you are going to find ESL conversation exercises that will help students to discuss and debate on the topic of fast fashion, ethical fashion, and sustainability practices in the fashion industry.

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The worksheet includes a “For and Against” exercise to help students create constructive arguments that would support their stands in the debate. The exercises are tailored to intermediate-advanced (B2-C1) students.

Preparation Notes for the Teacher

Required time: 45 min

To prepare: 

Discuss the topic of fast fashion and sustainability with your students.

At the beginning of the class, ask your students if they have heard about the concepts of fast fashion and ethical fashion and if they know the difference between these two. Then, ask students if they have any idea where the clothes they usually buy are produced and how much their clothes really cost to produce?

Give them a brief introduction on the topic (exploitation of labor, pollution, child labor, consumerism, low quality, non-durable materials). 

Play the video (embedded below): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLfNUD0-8ts

Next, make a “For and Against” list together with your students on the topic.

Instruct students to do Exercise B and C. 

Finally, divide students into 2 teams and have a “For and Against” debate on the topic “Alternatives to Fast Fashion: A Green Dream of the Near Future?”

Fast Fashion – The True Cost of Clothes 

In this worksheet, you will find exercises that will help you learn useful phrases, questions, and conversation tips that you can use when discussing/ debating on topics like fast fashion, ethical fashion, sustainability, etc.

Think about where do you and most people typically buy clothes, discuss this briefly with your class and your teacher, then answer questions in Exercise A and Exercise B.

Read the questions before answering to make sure you understand them.

EXERCISE A. Fast Fashion (For and Against)

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of fast fashion with your class and teacher, then write them into the table below. Write minimum 5 arguments per column.

EXERCISE B. True or False?

2. Watch the video “The true cost of fast fashion | The Economist”, then mark the statements below as True or False.

1) To tackle throwaway culture, consumers, and brands must change their behaviors.

2) Only low-class people buy fast fashion clothes.

3) Rent the Runway tackles the problem with throwaway culture.

4) Mohammed dislikes the idea of fast fashion.

5) Rent the Runway rents 20% fast fashion clothes.

6) Patagonia used to be a fast-fashion brand that turned to sustainability. 

7) One of Patagonia’s mottos is “Don’t throw it, fix it.”

8) Savana Rags is a recycling clothes factory.

9) New York fashionista Ijeoma is mostly interested in high-end fashion.

10) Most of the 80 billion clothing products go to waste.

EXERCISE C. Vocabulary

3. Match the words/ phrases (a-h) to their meanings (1-8) .

a) castoffs b) to tackle c) unprecedented rate d) garments e) swanky f) to follow suit f) hefty h) flagship store

1) Items of clothing 2) To deal with something in a determined and efficient way 3) Impressively large or expensive 4) Something that is no longer wanted (especially a garment) 5) The lead store in a retail chain as a showcase for the brand. 6) Stylishly luxurious and expensive 7) To conform to another’s actions. 8) Something that is very great in quality, amount or scale.

EXERCISE D.  Debate/Discussion

4. Make 2 teams and have a “For and Against” debate on the topic “Alternatives to Fast Fashion: A Green Dream of the Near Future?” Make sure to support each idea with at least one argument.

Download this worksheet (including key) in Word and PDF doc format (zipped)

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Basic English Speaking

Daily English Conversation Practice by Topic – Lesson List

Download Full Lessons Package – Daily English Conversation by Topic (mp3+pdf)

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  1. Fashion show (part 1 of 2)

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COMMENTS

  1. Fashion: General English Questions

    ESL discussion questions about fashion. See more ESL discussion topics How much do you care about the clothes you wear? Do you need to spend a lot of money to get good quality clothes? Who do you think is the most stylish person in the world? What is more important when it comes to clothing, comfort or style?

  2. ESL Conversation Questions

    A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom . Related: Fads and Trends , Clothes & Fashion Are you a fashionable person? What is fashion? Who is fashionable that you know? Do you read fashion magazines? Which season is it the easiest to be fashionable? Can you be fashionable without spending money?

  3. Fashion English: How to Talk About Clothing, Trends and Styles

    Fabrics that are typically used for clothing are cotton, linen, silk, wool, denim, corduroy, and synthetic fabrics. Talking about design Another way to describe your clothing is to provide details about its design. This is usually done by naming the pattern used on your apparel.

  4. Fashion

    This free ESL lesson plan on fashion has been designed for adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student. Do you know what the cool kids are wearing these days? No, me neither. But for fashionistas, knowing what is in fashion is extremely important.

  5. ESL Conversation Questions

    Fashion Would you like to be a fashion model? What are their lives like? Could you date someone if they had a terrible sense of fashion? Which country or city is the most fashionable in the world? Is fashion important or not important? Why or why not? Do you prefer functional or fashionable clothing? What do you think of the fashion industry?

  6. 25 fashion conversation questions

    There are a few hard words on this handout so before starting the speaking activity make sure your class are familiar with these terms - designer clothing, style, trend, fashionable, sense of sth, material, fabric, confident, accessories, and regret. The fashion conversation questions are - What country do you think has the best fashion?

  7. 21 ESL conversation questions about fashion and clothes

    21 ESL conversation questions about fashion and clothes Do you think that you're judged on the way you dress? If so, how? Is dressing well important to you? How would you describe your personal style? Why do you enjoy this style more than others? Do you like buying designer brands? Where do you go shopping for clothes?

  8. ESL Lesson Plans For Teachers Topic: Fashion

    fashion lessons 17 lessons 60 min Minnie Mouse to get a makeover Intermediate (B1-B2) This lesson is about fashion in the cartoon world covering a news report about Minnie Mouse's recent outfit change and an article about iconic cartoon characters.

  9. ESL Conversation Questions About Fashion

    ESL Conversation Questions About Fashion Beginner Intermediate Advanced Fashion Type: Vocabulary Topic: Life | Shopping Level: Intermediate Originally published on October 12, 2022 and last updated on July 26, 2023 WhatsApp Facebook Twitter Jump to: 1.0 Overview 2.0 About 3.0 Vocabulary 4.0 Conversation Questions

  10. Fashion Lesson Plans

    Standard Lesson 60 min Add to saved lessons Let's stop this monster! Global Issues This lesson on fast fashion includes a video and a variety of speaking activities to engage your students and enhance their vocabulary. Unlimited Plan Show B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min Add to saved lessons

  11. Talking about fashion: ESL/EFL Lesson Plan and Worksheet

    Type of English: General English. Tags: fashion B2 First (FCE) clothes Speaking. Publication date: 08/22/2021. This short worksheet presents a list of questions designed to get your students talking about fashion. The lesson plan includes a self-study preparation task, in which students can learn key words by heart before the lesson using Expemo.

  12. ESL Conversation Questions

    A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom . About how much money do you spend on clothes a year? Do you like shopping for new clothes? Do you often buy new clothes? Do you prefer to go shopping or just browse? Why? Do you think men should be allowed to wear skirts? What piece of clothing do you spend your money on the most? Why?

  13. ESL Discussions: Conversation Questions: Speaking Lesson: FASHION

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  14. Fashion • English Conversation Questions

    Fashion and body positivity. Fashion and mental health advocacy. Fashion and politics (e.g. cultural appropriation) Fashion and the arts (e.g. costume design) Fashion and tourism (e.g. fashion destinations) Fashion and wellness (e.g. athleisure) English Conversation Topics on Fashion Fashion and me Latest fashion trends Designer collaborations ...

  15. 1,168 Fashion English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

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  16. Fashion Vocabulary: Talk about fashion in English

    Fashion Vocabulary. There is so much to gain when we learn the English language online, and perhaps the best thing of all is when we can use that language in the real world. London Fashion week is coming up, starting on September 14th, and that opportunity for designers and manufacturers to show their wares is a brilliant opportunity to make use of our new English skills.

  17. Fashion statements

    Here are some example statements you can use: Work in pairs and discuss whether you agree or disagree with these statements. What you wear says a lot about your personality. I spend a lot of time getting dressed in the morning. I love buying new clothes. I really don't care about what I wear. Comfort is the most important thing when choosing ...

  18. 50 ESL Speaking Topics about Clothes

    1. What are you wearing right now? 2. What is your classmate wearing right now? 3. What is your teacher wearing right now? 4. Are you wearing buttons? 5. Are you wearing shoelaces? 6. Are you wearing anything black/blue/red/green…? 7. What clothes do you normally wear in the winter/spring/summer/autumn? 8.

  19. 25 clothing conversation questions

    The most difficult terms in the clothing discussion questions activity include - ironing, fabric, torn, spilled, family members, secondhand, hiking, culture, receive, formal, informal, occasion, and accessory. The clothing conversation questions are - Describe your favorite piece of clothing. When and where did you get it?

  20. Dialogue/Debate Worksheet: Fast Fashion

    1) To tackle throwaway culture, consumers, and brands must change their behaviors. 2) Only low-class people buy fast fashion clothes. 3) Rent the Runway tackles the problem with throwaway culture. 4) Mohammed dislikes the idea of fast fashion. 5) Rent the Runway rents 20% fast fashion clothes.

  21. Fashion conversation questions

    What does the word "fashion" mean to you? How much attention do you pay to fashion in the way you dress? When you read a newspaper, do you read the fashion pages? If so, what sort of information do they usually provide? Does fashion allow people to express their individuality or does it force people to conform?

  22. Clothing and Fashion

    CLOTHING and FASHION 'TRYING ON CLOTHES'. Listen again and write the missing words. Read aloud the dialog with a partner. Work with a partner. Extend (write) the dialog with your own ideas and perform for another pair of students. Total Time: 45-55 mins Level: Beginner-Elementary With Notes and Answer Key attached .

  23. Fashion

    Download Full Lessons Package - Daily English Conversation by Topic (mp3+pdf) Listening is THE KEY to better English speaking. The more REAL English conversations you listen to, the more fluent you will become, to be sure. For a small one-time investment, you can get the whole package of 75 lessons. Put it into your phone or MP3 Player and ...

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