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Age: Teenager/Adult
Level: Intermediate (B1) – Upper intermediate (B2)
Time: 60 minutes
Activity: In this lesson, students will:
»» Learn vocabulary related to hairstyles and clothes
»» decide what’s in and out of fashion
»» role-play getting permission to get a tattoo
»» discuss various fashion trends
Language focus: vocabulary related to appearance (hair, face,
accessories); vocabulary related to clothes
Preparation: wear something interesting or unusual to class
for this lesson which students may not know the vocabulary
for (a beret, a tanktop, flip-flops) as this will help promote
class discussion in the warmer
Materials: lined paper for the warmer and Exercise 4; one
copy of the worksheet per student
PROCEDURE
1. Stand up in front of the class and ask the students to take
a close look at you. Then ask them to work on their own
and write down as many words as they can in one minute
describing your appearance. These can include vocabulary
for clothes, hairstyle and accessories, as well as adjectives.
When the students have finished, ask them to compare their
list with a partner, then conduct whole class feedback. Write
any new or difficult vocabulary on the board.
2. Tell the students that in this class they are going to talk
about clothes, accessories and fashion. Hand out the
worksheet and focus students’ attention on the pictures in
Exercise 1. Ask them to work in pairs to match the words in
the box with the pictures. Conduct whole class feedback and
ask the students if they can think of any other hairstyles or
accessories that are not pictured.
3. Next, ask students to look at the first part of Exercise 2. Tell
them that three of the four adjectives collocate with the
given noun. Ask students to work in pairs and decide which
adjective is not correct in each group. While students are
working, monitor closely and help with new or unfamiliar
vocabulary. When they have finished, check the answers as a
class and see if the students can think of any other adjectives
they could use with each given noun.
4. Ask students to look at part b and match the clothes with
the body parts on which they are worn. Ask them if they can
think of any other items of clothing which relate to particular
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Impressions: Clothes and accessories
body parts (feet = slippers, legs = shorts, etc).
Optional activity
When students have finished Exercise 2, ask them to find a new
partner and use the new vocabulary they have learnt to describe
what he/she looks like and what he/she is wearing (see the
Teaching Tip below).
TEACHING TIP: Teaching vocabulary
for clothes and appearance creates a good
opportunity to highlight the fundamental difference
between simple and continuous tenses. In this context,
the present simple tense is used to describe permanent
features (He has black hair) while the present continuous
tense is used to describe temporary situations (She is
wearing a blue dress today). Students often mix up these
tenses, and it is important to provide a lot of practice so
they become more confident when using them.
5. Tell students to look at Exercise 3 and ask them which of the
styles or clothes in Exercises 1 and 2 are fashionable at the
moment. For example: Spiky hair is fashionable at the moment.
Leather jackets are fashionable at the moment. Go through
each of the sentences in Exercise 3 and check students
understand the vocabulary. Then ask students to complete
the sentences. They should do this individually or in pairs,
then compare their answers with other students to see if
they agree.
6. Look at Exercise 4. Ask students if they have a tattoo or
would like to have one. What are some arguments for and
against getting a tattoo? (Positive: It can be a dedication to
a special person. Negative: Employers might not like visible
tattoos). Working in pairs, students read the roles and write
the dialogue of the discussion between the family members.
While they are writing their dialogues, monitor closely and
offer help if needed. When they have finished, ask students to
read these dialogues in front of the class. Alternatively, you
could ask students to role-play the discussion in groups, each
student playing one of the characters involved.
7. Next, ask students to look at Exercise 5. Nominate some
students to read the statements about fashion and ask
each member of the class to decide individually if they
agree, agree to some extent or don’t agree at all. Then
they compare and discuss their answers in small groups. If
students are particularly interested in one of the statements,
extend the discussion to the whole class. Alternatively, you
could ask students to role-play the discussion in groups, each
student playing one of the characters involved.
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8. Finally, ask students to write their own sentences about Key
fashion and read them to the class. Encourage students to
engage in a debate as there are no right or wrong answers Exercise 1
about fashion and tell them that part of improving their 1. beard
English is being able to confidently express their opinions on 2. bracelet
subjective matters. 3. curly hair
4. earring
Optional homework activity
5. goatee
Ask students to take photos of members of their family on a
6. necklace
mobile device and bring them to the next class where they can
7. shaved head
use the new vocabulary to describe them.
8. mohican
9. moustache
10. wavy hair
11. sideburns
12. spiky hair
13. stubble

Exercise 2
a.
1. high-heeled
2. denim
3. cowboy
4. short-sleeved
5. flared
6. dinner
7. low-cut
8. strapless
9. sleeveless
b.
1. g
2. f
3. c
4. a
5. b
6. e
7. d

Exercises 3–5
students’ own opinions

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Exercise 1: Head and shoulders
Look at the pictures of hairstyles and accessories below. Match the words in the box to the pictures.

necklace goatee bracelet spiky hair earring moustache stubble

shaved head curly hair wavy hair sideburns beard mohican

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13

Can you think of any other hairstyles or accessories?

Exercise 2: Clothes and body

a. Cross out the adjective you CAN’T use with the noun given.

1. denim / sports / high-heeled / leather jacket

2. denim / polo-neck / baggy / V-neck jumper

3. platform / training / cowboy / high-heeled shoes

4. cowboy / wellington / walking / short-sleeved boots

5. low-cut / sleeveless / flared / high-necked dress

6. baggy / dinner / flared / combat trousers

7. low-cut / flowery / checked / striped shirt

8. strapless / winter / sports / fur coat

9. leather / sleeveless / ankle-length / mini skirt

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b. Look at the pictures below. Can you name all the different types of clothes? Which part of your body do you wear these clothes
on? Match the clothes and accessories with the different parts of the body.

1. gloves a. legs

2. belt b. wrist

3. scarf c. neck

4. jeans d. feet

5. watch e. head

6. baseball cap f. waist

7. boots g. hands

Exercise 3: In or out?
Talk to your partner and think about what is fashionable nowadays. Complete these sentences about youth fashion with vocabulary
from the previous exercises. Try to write a different word in each gap. Choose the correct verb form: is or are.

1. ______________________ is/are old-fashioned.

2. ______________________ is/are definitely out at the moment.

3. ______________________ is/are making a comeback right now.

4. ______________________ is/are the ‘in’ thing at the moment.

5. ______________________ is/are very trendy.

6. ______________________ is/are on the way out now.

Exercise 4: Tattoo role-play

You want a tattoo. Here is what other people around you think about the idea.

Your mother hates the idea and will not let you have one under any circumstances.
Your father had a tattoo when he was younger, but he had it surgically removed
some years ago. He now thinks tattoos are a mistake.
Your elder brother/sister is 18 and has a tattoo, but he/she hasn’t told your parents
because he/she knows they wouldn’t like it.
A friend who is 16 has a tattoo on her shoulder. Her parents let her have it because it can’t be seen. Your friend’s mother also has
a tattoo.
Your grandfather/grandmother has seen a lot of young people with tattoos and doesn’t see why his/her grandchild can’t have one.
He/she doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about.

Imagine that you and the people above are having lunch together. You mention the fact that you want to have a tattoo. Either (1)
role-play the situation with your classmates or (2) write the discussion over lunch that follows your comment. Include everybody in
the discussion.

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Exercise 5: Fashion discussion
Do you agree with these statements? Discuss the topics with a classmate.

1. ‘You can tell what a person is like by looking at their clothes.’

2. ‘Fashion helps you belong to a group and make friends.’

3. ‘Fashion is just a way to make money out of young people.’

4. ‘People who follow fashion are sheep with no ideas of their own.’

5. ‘Pierced eyebrows and tongues are disgusting.’

6. ‘It’s my body and I’ll do what I want with it.’

Now write three statements of your own about fashion, and share them with
your classmates.

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