Most people have seen the famous 80’s teen movie “Clueless.” It features the everyday life of  a high school girl, Cher,  living in California during that time period. From Cher’s million-dollar mansion to her supped-up Jeep, she lives the high life on a daily basis. It comes as no surprise that she is obsessed with designer brands, picking from numerous designer clothes from her personal collection every day.

The movie shows her as being self-absorbed and ridiculous for being obsessed with material things; however, modern-day teenagers are not so far from that.

It has become apparent that self-worth and self-identity are constantly associated with the use of brands and higher end products.  The phrase “money cannot buy happiness” is often chuckled at by today’s youth, yet proves to be true. According to the American Psychological Association, those who had initially expressed stronger financial hopes reported lower life satisfaction two decades later than those expressing lower monetary desires.

“I don’t think designer brands improve anything. I think self confidence is the thing that improves your style and the way you carry yourself,” senior Bryanna Stoiber said.

According to a study by psychologist Marsha Richins, materialists place unrealistically high expectations on what consumer goods can provide for them in terms of happiness, autonomy and relationships.

“I used to think brands were everything. I was a label snob and only wore stuff by a few select brands. I also used to be really into celebrity style and thought that having the same pair of jeans as a famous person would somehow make me cooler,” editor from College Fashion Zephyr said.

What many people don’t realize is that designer brands aren’t the only brands with a specific style of clothing. Walk into any Target or Marshalls, and it’s easy to find mock-ups of the current styles and what “everyone” is wearing. These stores thrive off of what is new in fashion, so they will attract every fashionista on the block. The plus side? The cost is much cheaper. Many people miss this because they don’t pay for the style or the quality: they pay for the logo.

A major factor in what drives the consumer industry isn’t only materialists. In fact, the sudden rise in consumerism is the product of market industry targeting the younger generation.

“U.S. companies market to teenagers with an annual budget of over $15 billion, or about two and a half times more than was spent in 1992. They now influence over $600 billion worth of spending,” Psychologist Susan Linn said in her recent news press.

The Illinois minimum working wage of $8.25 per hour is providing teenagers between $170-177 per week according to WorkChron. With that kind of salary, there is no way teenagers can afford the designer-brand products they all dream to have. For example, a Gucci jacket (costing more than $500) would take more than a month’s worth of work to pay off, but that doesn’t stop them.

Designer labels make up about 15.3 percent of 13 to 17-year-olds’ purchases, compared with 9.6 percent five years ago according to a study done by NPD, a market research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y.

And what is to blame? The media.

The upper class appearance of teens see on shows such as “Gossip Girl” are what is driving modern teenagers to the designer stores. Most programs and celebrities continue to namedrop designers. Miley Cyrus, one of the most influential celebrities of 2013, has a clothing line with Marc Jacobs who is known for his overpriced items. Kanye West’s infamous “It ain’t Ralph though” rant was sparked when he discussed the level of money he’s lost on designer clothing lines, yet he has recently created his own line featuring tour jackets priced at $225.

“Teen magazines are covered with ads from Chloe, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The amount of merchandise featured in the editorial content of the September 2007 issue of Teen Vogue amounted to a total of $74,458,” according to women’s media web site Jezebel.

Teens follow celebrities, that is a well known fact. When they hear their favorite rapper yelling “Versace” on the radio, they’re drawn to that line as a symbol of status. Songs such as “Louis Vuitton,” “Designer” and “Diamonds” written and performed by popular rappers creates\ an illusion of success by buying these clothes.

The game has done multiple interviews with a diamond encrusted $80,000 Lex Diamond watch. These displays of luxury shown on a big stage give an impression of teens to achieve them.

Although it may be hard for teenagers to obtain high-end clothing, some feel it is a necessity.

“Usually, designer clothing makes you look different, shows your personality. It features cooler logos and more detail than regular brands. If you want to look good, you have to invest in expensive clothes,” sophomore Dylan Vaca said.

Besides the constant appraise and admiration  of designer brands, one question still stands: are designer brands better quality?   W   A Michael Kors t-shirt with their signature logo runs for $45, compared to a generic $10 Target brand t-shirt. After looking at the materials, both are virtually the same and use a cotton polyester blend. Yet the small Michael Kors logo raises the plain t-shirt price by $35.

“Its not even like the designer tees are better quality nowadays; people just insist on overpaying for the brand,” senior Nicole Packard said.

A BCBG t-shirt provides some variety with using a nylon, rayon and spandex blend for material, but lacks any logo and has a high price tag of $68.

“I’ve had higher end clothing, but half the time the clothing gets ruined or shrunk within a month. It’s not worth it,” Packard said.

Teenage girls’ eyes light up when they see the shiny stores on Michigan Ave. and watch models walking down the runway, no doubt, but that all comes at a price. And sometimes, the price is just too much to bear.