Fashion haul why do we love watching other people undress?

Over the past ten years, the “unboxing” trend has grown stronger and more explosive day by day. The number of hundreds of thousands or even millions of views makes more youtubers willing to “splash” for each purchase.

Fashion haul why do we love watching other people undress?

Fashion haul is a term used to refer to videos in which the lead character will discuss the items they have purchased recently. In addition to the price, origin, “haul” items are also extremely hot and desirable items for many people. Therefore, it is easy for us to feel like this is a “spiritual medicine” to help satisfy a part of the desire to shop without having to spend money. From a trend, hauling has gradually become an essential leisure activity in the “routine” of countless people.

The “unboxing” trend was born quite early on the YouTube platform around 2008, but since TikTok appeared and threatened most social platforms, videos with #fashionhaul have reached nearly 1 billion views, proving that for a phenomenon that shows no sign of slowing down.

Shopping haul is not only a way to make attractive content but gradually become a youth culture, a tool to support fashion lovers to update new trends . Above all, listening to comments from bloggers also helps us gain more experience to shop properly, avoid wasting money on things that are not worth it. Some also offer styling tips for items you currently have or plan to buy in the future.

TWO TYPES OF EMOTIONS “HAPPY” AND “SELF-DEPRECATING” WHEN WATCHING VIDEOS HAUL

According to research by students majoring in Merchandising and Fashion Design of Seoul National University (Korea), in general, the audience of haul videos is divided into two groups: one group watches for information and the other is for entertainment. Interestingly, those who view hauling as a relaxing activity tend to find “indirect pleasure” while those who see it as a source of information may fall into feelings of inferiority.

Two contrasting emotions: happiness or low self-esteem are related to the way a person focuses on the haul video. The more interested and attentive viewers are in the product, the more enjoyable they feel when watching. But if the focus is on the YouTubers themselves, they feel uncomfortable when unconsciously “comparing” themselves with the content creator’s financial capabilities.

Even if they don’t have enough money to come into contact with brands , for a person who is really passionate about fashion and puts all their focus on the item, they still feel interesting indirectly through visual images and react on video. Most of the interviewees said they felt their heart flutter the moment the YouTuber or TikToker tore off the wrapping paper and were extremely happy at the thought that they would one day. They empathize with the exhilarating and even exaggerated reaction of the “unlocker”. Besides, the sound when “unboxing” the item is also a “spice” to stimulate viewers.

Another factor related to the “sexiness” of the haul is the scarcity of a certain product. For example, not everyone has the ability to “hunt” limited designs or is willing to spend money on special editions (festival capsule collections, design collabs, etc.). They are expensive while being “experimental” and more transient than the regular version. And now, YouTubers are there to satisfy a restrained frivolous need.

As for the second group of audiences, according to the participants in this study, coming to the haul video as informational also means that they are in or very close to the luxury fashion consumer group (not too far-fetched). similar to the first group). The scrutiny stems from their inability to risk their budget. Meanwhile, haulers seem to have too much money and can randomly buy whatever they want. Thus, the feeling of “lack of need” develops itself through this kind of forced economic comparison.

The haul videos are often titled with the huge amount of money that YouTubers spend on purchases, to create shocking value and attract views. This inadvertently promotes that spending a lot of money on designer brands is the best way to stay trendy. There’s almost an elitism attached to the phenomenon, with social media advocating “flexing” in the amount of money they spend on fashion.

The above are just psychological interpretations of a haul viewer. Any problem has two sides. Although it can bring positive mental energy, haul is still a type of content that needs to be “planned” well before implementation because of the huge amount of fashion waste it can leave behind. .