Fashion is a cultural system that includes clothing, footwear and accessories. It is closely associated with identity, culture and social status. The fashion industry is a global business. It employs millions of people worldwide. Designers and fashion houses create styles that are popular for a season or more. Then they produce the garments, shoes and accessories to make those styles available for consumers. Consumers then purchase those items that reflect their own personalities or match their current fashion status.
The prevailing styles and trends in fashion are dictated by the whims of an elite group that is often called “the fashionable.” This is made up of professionals such as designers and stylists. It also includes people who work in media, including journalists and television and radio personalities. In the past, the influence of foreign cultures on the Western fashion system was more pronounced. For example, Europeans would dress in Turkish and Chinese style clothing more often than they now do. The occurrence of significant events such as wars and explorations of other parts of the world may have stimulated changes in fashions as well.
During the time of Roman rule in Egypt, only those who were wealthy could afford to wear the best of fabrics dyed with Tyrian purple. In modern times, the affluent tend to be the first to embrace new styles. This is a result of the fact that they have more money to spend on clothes and can afford to be the first to experiment with different looks. The popularity of the new styles spreads as more people can afford to buy into them.
In the future, fashion is likely to become even more focused on a person’s inner self. Rather than just serving as an outward expression of a person’s personality, fashion will be used to define a person’s individual identity and to communicate his or her ideas and emotions.
Whether or not they are aware of it, people constantly display their personality by the way that they dress. The style of a person’s clothes can indicate their level of education, their social class or their occupation. It can also indicate their ethnic background or nationality. For example, the turbans worn by Muslims are an indication of their religion. In addition, the type of jewelry a person wears can be an indicator of his or her origins. Clothes can also reveal a person’s group affiliation, as in the case of “Goths,” skaters and preppers. The way in which a person dresses can also create distance between groups. For example, a boy with green hair and multiple body piercings may be perceived as an outsider by other boys. This can cause conflict within a group, especially in high school. It can also be a cause of bullying and rejection. However, the way that a person dresses can also be a form of rebellion. In this way, fashion can be both an affirmation of a person’s independence and a statement against conformity and the status quo.