About fashion.
Many of us think that fashionapplies just the clothes we wear, but in actual fact it can be applied toalmost anything we do. Fashionis used to describe a means of expression. The terms "fashionable" and"unfashionable" are used to describe something that does or does nottally with the current popular mode of expression. Fashions can apply to manyfields of human activity and thinking, including those such as architecture,music, speech, pastimes, etiquette, politics, and technology, to name but afew.
The broad use of the term fashion when applied to clothes was used in the pastas a means of people showing solidarity with other people by their choice ofclothes. However, in more realistic terms, today Modern Westerners have a widechoice of clothes available to them, and wearing what is currently in fashionis unlikely to be exactly the same as someone else. Nowadays what a personwears is more likely to be a reflection of their personal tastes and character,than wanting to imitate somebody else. However, when celebrities or people inthe public eye start to wear new or different clothes, people tend to copy themand a new fashion develops, therefore the original term may still apply today.
Fashion is something that varies tremendously, not just in different eras, butalso in the same generation but between different ages, social classes,professions and by location. The term "fashionista" has developed inthe 21st century as a way of describing someone who is dedicated to fashion,and the development of this term is indicative of the role fashion and trendsplay in the contemporary age.
Fashion by its very nature, is something that is continually changing, and whenapplied to clothes this happens even more quickly than in other areas of socialbehaviour. What is an interesting phenomenon in regards to clothing fashions isthat whilst something quickly becomes out of fashion, it can become fashionableagain at a later date when these clothes come back into fashion again. This issomething that is seen predominantly only with clothes, and not with otherareas of design or human actions.
Every part of ones appearance is subject to fashion, from makeup, hair, lengthof skirts, and accessories, nothing is left untouched. Fashion houses and theirfashion designers, as well as their celebrity clients are key in determininghow clothes fashions change and how quickly. They are also the main forcebehind determining if something is in or out of fashion and if to bringsomething back in to fashion. An important part of fashion is fashionjournalism, and this can be found in every magazine, newspaper, and televisionarticle around, as well as in fashionwebsites and blogs.
This is demonstrated by the factthat Vogue, founded in the US in 1902, is now one of the longest-lasting andmost popular magazines in the world, and has spurned international editionsaround the globe. Despite the advent of television and widespread internet coverage, press coverage is still seen by the fashion industry as the mostimportant form of publicity in conveying the new fashion trends to society.
About theAuthor:
Tania Machowska is a former modelwith experience of catwalk and catalogue modelling. For the past four yearsshe's been contributing to websites such as www.chemodels.com,Brussels Model Agency.
