Everyone should have a solid understanding of fashion. Whether you’re interested in it or not, the reality is that anyone who gets up in the morning and puts on clothes is affected by fashion. If you participate in a ritual, you should at least understand it.
Since getting dressed is a ritual we all share, fashion is something everyone should understand, at least in a general sense. However, it is fair to say that many negative connotations surround fashion. Fashion has been boxed into serving only one demographic—a demographic that often carries negative, materialistic stereotypes. These connotations have hindered many people from truly embracing the understanding of fashion. Fashion deserves to be seen as more than consumerism or status.
So what is fashion? Well, to start, fashion is so much more than just clothes. It is a way to express yourself. Every day, my personality is highlighted through the clothing I wear. In fact, my mood often reflects my outfit choices, not in a material sense but in an emotional one, where my clothes become a reflection of my inner world.
Fashion is a representation of culture. For example, traditional Western clothing is still worn today. Denim, which was originally purely functional, is now a key symbol of the Western world.
Fashion is evolution. The progression from contemporary to modern fashion has evolved alongside people, their needs and even their rights. Take hemlines, for example. Fashion evolved alongside the women’s rights movement as hemlines shifted from floor-length skirts to the rise of the miniskirt in the 60s.
Fashion is an industry. According to McKinsey & Company, the global fashion industry is worth nearly $2 trillion.
Fashion is an art. It evokes emotion, meaning, creativity and reflection.
Fashion is communication. A blazer can signify professionalism. College merchandise can symbolize school pride. Second-hand clothing can signal sustainability efforts.
Since fashion encompasses expression, culture, evolution, industry, art and communication, among other things, everyone must understand it. Ethnologue , a leading database of world languages, reports that 7,159 languages are in use today. However, there is only one we are all fortunate enough to share. There is only one language we can all understand and speak. That language is fashion. Fashion is so much more than just clothing; it is essential to understand.