IELTS Speaking Part 1 - Talking about Clothes

IELTS Speaking Part 1
In the first part of IELTS Speaking Section, you will be talking about familiar topics, topics that are related to everyday conversation. Compared to the second and the last part of Speaking Section, the first part is much much easier. Now, let's take a look at some questions below!

Talking about Clothes

• Are clothes important to you?

• What kind of clothes do you usually wear?

• Have you ever worn the traditional clothes of your country?

• Where do you usually buy your clothes?

• Have you ever worn a uniform?

• Do most people in your country follow fashion?

Sample Answer

Are clothes important to you?

Of course. It is one of human's basic necessities. Clothes protect our body from harsh weather condition, especially when you live in a tropical country where the weather is extremely hot, or in a country where the weather is extremely cold. 

Clothes are also a means of expressing our social status. For example, if someone is working in an office, they are expected to wear attire or any formal clothes. It is important for us to wear dress that suits the occasion. I will be strange if we wear tuxedo when hanging out with close friends, or wearing sweat pants while giving a presentation in front of our boss.

What kind of clothes do you usually wear?

I usually wear casual clothes like T-shirt and short pants, because I do most of my work from home. I'm starting a startup company and spending most of my time at home, building a website and a mobile app. Even if I have to leave the house, I usually wear T-shirt and jeans. I rarely wear formal clothes, except when I attend formal occasion like wedding or when I meet important clients.

Have you ever worn the traditional clothes of your country?

Yes, I have. Living in a country with diverse culture and tradition, I have worn several traditional clothes of my country. One of examples is batik. Batik is Indonesian traditional clothe which is closely related to Javanese culture, although many regions in Indonesia have their own batik. I am a Javanese, so it is common for me to wear batik in family gatherings. Some people also wear batik at work, usually on Friday.

Where do you usually buy your clothes?

I often buy clothes in a mall because there are a lot varieties of clothes with different brand, model, size and price range. Some people like buying clothes online but I don't think it's a good idea for me, since finding clothes of my size is usually hard, especially if it's done online. I prefer buying clothes in malls or small vendors so that I can try them first.

Have you ever worn a uniform?

Yes I have. Many schools in Indonesia, especially the public schools, require their students to wear uniform. For example, high school students in Indonesia usually wear white shirt and grey trousers on Monday and Tuesday. They wear white shirt with long sleeves and white trousers on Wednesday and Thursday, batik on Friday and scout uniform on Saturday. 

I think the students are required to wear uniform because it strengthens the sense of belongings. The uniform also makes it easier for the people to identify students and which school they are from.

Do most people in your country follow fashion?

I don't think all people follow fashion, especially those who are in their twenties or older. While fashion is more common among the teenagers, adult people prefer wearing comfortable clothes. This is true particularly for people with ruthless pragmatism who put simplicity and comfort above style and fashion. The elderly become quite dressy only when they attend formal and important events.

Notes

First

In some cases, you have to uses certain terms that are quite specific to certain culture (batik, for example). Since we are usually interviewed by a native speaker (who might not be familiar with all terms related to, for example, Indonesian culture), sometimes we have to give definition, so that they know what we are talking about. 

When I explained about batik, I gave a definition first, so that the people I am talking to can understand that I am talking about 'traditional dress' and not just any dress. This is important to avoid confusion.

Second

Some people might have some difficulty with the speaking topic. For example, some of the younger test takers are finding it hard to answer question 'where do you usually buy your clothes?', since their parents usually buy the clothes for them, and they are not the kind of shopaholic and fashionista individuals who can talk a lot about clothes. Buying clothes is simply not the kind of experience that they find easy to share. 

In this case, feel free not to use your personal experience as an example. You can tell a story about a friend who likes shopping, where s/he shops and any other details relevant to the question. I myself am not the kind of person who often buy clothes and as you can see, I added other people's experience of buying clothes online to make my answer a bit longer and more comprehensive.

To read the complete questions and sample answers for IELTS Speaking Section Part 2 and 3 - talking about clothes, click here