The term Fashion describes a general style of clothing. It’s often seen as a way of expressing oneself and a tool for social interaction. People can use fashion to show their solidarity with a cause, express their own identity or simply show off their ability to follow popular trends.
The fashion industry has changed drastically over time. The internet has impacted every aspect of the business from marketing, supply chain, design, forecasting, and sales. It has blurred the line between designer and consumer by allowing small brands to reach large audiences through sites like Instagram, TikTok, etc. It has also accelerated the hot/not cycle by allowing trends to spread rapidly through social media.
While it is commonly thought that changes in fashion reflect societal change, recent research has shown that there are internal taste mechanisms that drive trends regardless of societal change. For example, the popularity of a certain shoe style may be due to an individual’s desire to wear something that is similar to the shoes worn by their favorite celebrity or idol.
Fashion is a fun mode of self-expression. It’s important to note, however, that fashion plays many roles in other spheres, such as politics. Djurdja Barlett’s book “Fashion and Politics” covers the history of fashion in conjunction with issues like nationalism, oppression, individualism, and surveillance. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex relationship between fashion and the political world.