Fashion is the way a person dresses, which includes shoes and accessories. It also involves a person’s general appearance and demeanor. Fashion varies by time, place and culture. It is often affected by social, economic and political events. It is often defined by the age group, socioeconomic status, occupation and geographic location of a person. In modern society, fashion is influenced by mass media, including movies and music. Fashion trends change frequently, which can be a good or bad thing.
A new fashion trend may start when people with high cultural status start wearing different clothes or accessories that show off their personality or interests. They can inspire people to dress in the same style. A new fashion can also start when a certain piece of clothing becomes popular or desirable for a specific purpose. For example, a woman might decide to wear a miniskirt to express her freedom or emancipation from the restrictive fashions of earlier times.
While the color and fabric of a garment can easily be changed to suit new styles, the cut of a gentleman’s coat or the length of a lady’s skirt is more difficult to alter. This is because a well-dressed gentleman or lady’s image is considered an important part of their reputation. In the past, men’s and women’s clothes reflected their cultural base. For instance, a Nuremberg bourgeoisie might be portrayed in Albrecht Durer paintings with well-dressed ladies from Venice. This is because of the importance placed on a well-made wardrobe by those who could afford it.
Today’s fashions are largely influenced by mass media and advertising, including magazines and television shows that feature celebrity outfits and lifestyles. Fashion designers have started ready-to-wear and perfume lines, heavily advertised in the fashion sections of major women’s and men’s magazines. Fashion is a big business, and many workers are involved in its design, production and marketing.
There are some things that can be worn only once and then be discarded, and these are called “out of fashion.” In the past, new discoveries in distant parts of the world might trigger changes in fashion. For example, in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries, Europe favored items made in Turkey, China and Japan.
The term fashion is derived from the Latin word fascinate, meaning “to fasten, fastening or to take on.” The popularity of a certain style at any given moment is sometimes measured by the time it takes for it to be labeled as “in fashion.” The terms mode, vogue, rage and craze also describe trends. Vogue and mode suggest elegance and sophistication, while rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm for the latest styles.