Fashion is a prevailing mode of expression that can be manifested in clothing, speech or other cultural behaviors. It is a form of self-expression that allows individuals to communicate their personal beliefs and values while expressing a sense of style that distinguishes them from other people. It is often influenced by the surrounding culture and can reflect social changes in gender roles, economic conditions and political ideologies.
The wearing of certain styles can be a status symbol that indicates the wearer’s social class, occupation, or location. Garments may also differ in appearance on a person’s body and can be evaluated based on color, fabric texture, silhouette, or how they are worn. People that slavishly follow current fashions are known as “fashion victims” or “fashionistas.”
Popular culture can also influence the direction of fashion, as is the case with rap music and the ’90s baggy look that started on television shows like 90210 and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. However, the overall direction of fashion is difficult to determine. It is impossible to trace how the short skirts and boots of England’s teenagers became the designer jeans and sneakers of America or how the bare mid-riffs of hip hop made it to the runways of Paris.
Fashion is a multifaceted industry that encompasses designers, manufacturers, marketers and retailers. It can be influenced by cultural and geographic factors, such as the discovery of new materials, or by events such as war or a changing economy. It is also a global industry, with many clothes being designed in one country, produced in another and shipped to another for distribution internationally.