Fashion is a style of dressing, behavior or art that is popular at a certain time or place. It is a reflection of beliefs, values and attitudes shared by a large group of people.
There are many ways to define the term ‘fashion’, but most agree that it is a style of dress, clothing and other forms of appearance that are considered fashionable at a particular moment or period in history. It is not always easy to identify what is fashionable, especially since trends change so rapidly.
Color and texture play a role in fashion, too, as do individual tastes. For example, someone who loves fuchsia and turquoise in the summer may prefer black or grey in winter.
Some fashions are designed for specific groups of people, such as women or men. Others are more gender neutral.
A fashion’s life cycle is typically broken up into stages of innovation, diffusion and adoption. Early innovators, often seen as ‘fashion leaders’, wear the style and promote it; they then encourage their followers to pick up on the trend. As these leaders lose interest in the trend, it then goes out of style.
It is not uncommon for the same trend to be in and out of fashion multiple times, as it is a highly profitable business for manufacturers and retailers. Moreover, it can cause people to buy new clothes that they might not otherwise have.
The trickle-down theory, a social-class theory, says that upper class individuals set the trends and lower class consumers follow them (Simmel, 1904). It is a common assumption that people in higher socioeconomic status consume more and better clothes than those in lower-income groups.
Despite the theory’s assumptions, it is important to note that people of all economic classes consume fashion and make purchases based on their preferences and not based on the trend or what is popular at the time. In addition, there are countless studies that have shown that people of all socioeconomic levels and backgrounds respond to different types of information, including what they read or hear in the media.
In addition to this, there are also other factors that affect what is deemed fashionable, such as societal changes or the financial interests of designers and manufacturers.
There are also ‘gatekeepers’ in the fashion industry, who determine what is and is not on the market at any given time. These include marketers, designers and buyers, all of whom can influence the direction of a trend.
A trend’s life cycle can be very ephemeral, which is why many manufacturers and retailers try to constantly introduce new styles to keep the inventory fresh. This strategy is called ‘upcycling’, and it can help keep an item in stock longer, as well as attract more customers to the store.
Personal preference never goes out of style, but it is best to keep your wardrobe balanced and to choose pieces that look good on you rather than ‘trendy’. It is also a good idea to try different colors and textures so that you can have a variety of outfits for every occasion.
