Fashion in itself has had a profound cultural and social impact on civilizations for decades. The way that people dress and the emphasis that is placed on composition of outfits and the way that they look aesthetically has become a prominent attribute of modern culture in itself, and entire multinational corporations have been established on the basis of evaluating and creating proper fashion. Fashion itself has had the capacity to define artists’ careers and collectively, the basis of most media entities exists around attempting to create innovative fashion. On a personal level, fashion provides people an opportunity to exude creativity in their everyday life. Composing an entire outfit for the day can give that person a very adequate way to represent themselves and to balance and coordinate a successful composition of clothing. Given the prominence of fashion on both a personal level, this essay will seek to provide information on what fashion is as well as how it can be approached creatively and effectively.
According to Merriam-Wesbster, fashion can be describe as a popular trend, especially in styles of dress or manners of behavior. (“Fashion,” Merriam-Webster) Fashion provides people with a language of sorts through which they can tell their own story, and how they can reflect the way that they want to be seen. Outside of simply looking great, there are many practical applications to choosing the different types of clothes we wear. Clothes in themselves can protect us from the effects of weather and over-exposure to the elements. Furthermore, it can provide us with a way to look confident and physically attractive. Our emotions themselves can reflect the clothes we wear: people tend to dress more nicely when they’re emotionally happy and less so when they’re not. Lastly, for many cultures, fashion is deeply integrated into their theological practices. Orthodox Jewish men wear long, black suit-like robes and fundamental Muslim women wear long robes and clothes that cover their whole bodies.
While these are many practical functions, utilizing fashion as a stylish requires many different ideas and themes to be addressed. First and foremost, it’s important to wear clothes that look good on your body and bring a sense of definition to your shape. Neutral colors are often more aesthetically appealing to the eye and when wearing prints, it’s important to make sure that they aren’t busy or convoluted. Complementary clothing choices also work well with a great hairstyle. Different styles are also complemented by different accessories and when attempting to define one’s style, there are many different categories that it can fall into. There are more traditional styles, such as chic and classic, which focus on providing stylish, but simple compositions. Styles such as the Bohemian and arty styles can be characterized by the mixing of patterns and colors and the combinations of different accessories, creating a style that is reminiscent of the 1960s hippie movement. The exotic style is similar in this regard, as it is also classified by the combinations of different patterns, textures and influences. Extrapolated from this sort of influence is that of the flamboyant style. Then there are more counter-cultured stylistic movements which place emphasis on darker colors, such as the punk rock and Gothic styles.
Fashion itself is a very characteristic way to analyze a society and the people within it. Different styles and types of clothing have defined eras and cultures at large, and the prominence of certain fashion trends have had a lasting impact on how people collectively view themselves. On a personal level, there are many applications of fashion such as instilling a sense of confidence and attractiveness, and displaying one’s own cultural standing. As such, fashion is an important attribute of culture itself and of individuals’ personal approaches to developing their own identity.
- Hoskyns, Barney (1984). “The Morley & Horn Show Present – How to Make a Spectacle of Yourself”. NME. p. 25.
- Marriam-Webster (2017) “Fashion Definition.”
Retrieved from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fashion
