Fashion is a style or trend in dress and other manners of appearance. It is important because it is a way to express oneself, and to show others something about you. It can be as subtle as a single piece of clothing, or as dramatic as a whole outfit. It is also an indicator of one’s social class, era or location. It is a cultural phenomenon that has both positive and negative effects on society.
Whether it is the new jeans with copper rivets that were popularized by blue-collar workers, or the ruffled blouses that adorn women at weddings, fashion can make people feel good about themselves. It can also help to bring in a particular type of economy or to create a specific mood or feeling, like that of the roaring 20s. Fashion is all around us – on TV, in movies and music, at events or even on the street. But it also happens inside the mind of a shopper or buyer, when they are trying to figure out what kind of clothes will suit them.
The beginning of continuous and accelerating change in Western clothing styles can be fairly reliably dated to late medieval times, according to historians such as James Laver and Fernand Braudel. These early changes included a drastic shortening of the male over-garment from calf to ankle length and a tightening in fabric fit, as well as the introduction of more pronounced collars and cuffs.
Although the earliest clothing styles were practical, they soon began to develop into art forms and used as status symbols. The rise of the haute couture in the 1920s, for example, brought a high-fashion look to the masses. In the same decade, lingerie started to gain popularity and become a fashionable form of underwear.
Today, the fast pace of changing fashion means that designers must continually create new styles. This can be expensive and time-consuming. The industry is also plagued by over-production and the use of substandard materials. Many companies have cut corners in order to meet deadlines. This has led to a lot of low-quality clothes on the market.
Although the most famous fashion events are in Paris, London, and Milan, fashion trends often start on the streets. Many designers draw inspiration from what they see in everyday life. It can be as simple as a teenager throwing on some casual pants and a T-shirt and going to the coffee shop, or a designer taking the bare midriffs of the 90210 teens as their inspiration. It is not surprising, therefore, that the street is considered to be a barometer of what is going to be in next year’s collections.
