Fashion is a cultural expression expressed through a range of clothing styles, hairstyles and other aesthetic choices. It is an industry that employs millions of people worldwide in designing, sewing, gluing and dyeing fabrics to create clothing, footwear and other articles of personal attire. Fashion is often associated with status, cultural identity, or a sense of belonging to a group. It can also be seen as a means of expressing an individual’s emotional state, or even a sign of intelligence or taste. Often, the clothing worn is influenced by current trends in music, art and literature.
Fashion changes frequently, and it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what is in style at any given time. The fashion industry itself initiates some of these changes, but the public’s appetite for new and different clothing also plays an important role. For example, the miniskirt of the 1960s was a response to sexual liberation, while cassocks and nuns’ robes signaled a renunciation of vanity in a more traditional society.
Many things can affect the popularity of a particular style of dress or outfit, including the availability of certain materials and labor, as well as the cultural climate in which people live. For example, in a country with an industrial economy, the availability of cheap textiles may make it possible for people to afford to wear fashionable clothes. In addition, the influence of celebrities on the fashions of their peers can be significant. This is especially true if the celebrities are members of an elite such as movie stars, musicians, politicians or royalty.
The most common definition of fashion is the wearing of fashionable clothing. However, the term can also refer to a prevailing style of customs, speech or other behavior, and to an attitude toward such habits. In this sense, the word fashion is similar to terms such as mode, vogue, rage and craze, which all suggest a popular trend that may come and go in rapid succession.
In general, fashionable clothes are those that are in the latest styles and appeal to people of all ages and social classes. This can be shown by the fact that judges wear robes, people in the military wear uniforms and brides traditionally wear white dresses. People also dress according to their own tastes, and fashions in these cases can vary significantly from one person to the next. For example, some people choose to dress in jeans and T-shirts while others prefer a more formal look such as a suit. Then there are those who follow trends in order to stay up with the latest developments in fashion.