Fashion is an expression of individuality, taste and style in the use of clothing and other accessories. In addition to clothes, it includes footwear, makeup and hairstyles. In addition, fashion may also be an indication of societal trends.
Clothes reveal who you are, but they can also create stereotypes and distance between groups. For example, in high school, a boy with green hair and multiple piercings might be looked at as a freak and outsider to one group of students. Another group might see the boy as a strict conformist, even though his style is meant to show rebellion and separate him from other students.
In the 21st century, fashion has become more of a reflection of our society than it was in the past. In a culture where everyone is constantly influenced by social media, it’s important to be aware of the fashion around you.
The fashion industry encompasses the design, manufacture, distribution, marketing, retailing, advertising, and promotion of all types of apparel (men’s, women’s, and children’s). It’s a global business that employs millions of people worldwide.
It is a constantly evolving and ephemeral phenomenon that has become so much a part of our lives that it’s easy to overlook the fact that fashion is not at all constant. Changing trends are an everyday occurrence and the fashion industry quite encourages it – they would rather sell you a new coat every single season than waste money on the old!
However, there are certain clothes that will always be fashionable – like the little black dress. If you want to be on the cutting edge of fashion, it’s important to have a few wardrobe staples that will never go out of style.
Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, paying attention to the details of your character’s clothing can help make your story memorable and more interesting for your readers. Using clothing as an element of characterization can be particularly useful when you have characters that are wearing unusual and distinctive clothes or when you’re writing about an area that has strong and vibrant fashion.
For instance, London College of Fashion curator Alison Moloney used her exhibition ‘Cabinet Stories’ to explore the potential of clothing in terms of identifying and communicating emotions. She toured a female prison, a mental health unit and a care home to capture individuals’ feelings about their clothing.
She also included garments that had been worn by her own family members. Bringing together these items with a selection of their personal stories and photographs, the exhibit helped the audience better understand how their clothing made them feel, and how they had an impact on their life.
While there are many different definitions of fashion, it is generally understood to mean any way of dressing that is favored at any given time. This is often reflected in the words fashion, style, mode, vogue, fad, and rage.