Fashion is a worldwide industry and it can be defined as a fad or trend in clothing. It can be used as a form of self expression and is often used to convey social status, culture and values. Fashion trends are influenced by a variety of factors such as geographic location, age group, gender and class, mood and emotion. It can also represent social norms and values, such as dress codes for certain occupations or ceremonial occasions.
Dress is a common means of identification: judges wear robes, members of the military wear uniforms and brides wear long white dresses. Fashion is a business: millions of people all over the world work to design, sew, glue, dye and transport clothes to stores for sale. It is a huge industry that affects all aspects of our daily lives and influences what we eat, where we go and what we wear.
Historically, fashion has been used as a tool of social control and to distinguish between different groups. Albrecht Durer’s drawing contrasts a well dressed bourgeoise from Nuremberg with her Venetian counterpart, who is wearing high chopines (shoes). The fashion industry promotes and sells clothes with new ideas and designs every day. It has been suggested that these changes in fashion can lead to materialistic consumerism and social alienation.
Fashion is also an art and can be expressed in various forms such as a simple whisper, a high-energy scream or even a wink and a smile. People can choose to wear things that make them feel good and comfortable, expressing their personality through fresh trends.