Understanding Fashion

Fashion in simple terms is just a mode of self expression. It refers to styling, colors and trends followed by the people or by just one person. The clothes one wears, the accessories, shoes, even hair styling and self makeup are all a part of Fashion. It is not just the way we dress up but constitutes the way we live. It is a state of mind and an extension of one's self.

The history of Fashion dates long back to the time when man started practicing agriculture for survival. As civilizations started to develop there were different style and types of clothing worn by them. One can very easily distinguish one from another just by looking at their dresses. The trends continued to modern times and traditional dresses and ways of styling represented different civilizations and cultures. Like a saree represents Indian culture, a kimono Japanese culture while a madras plaid skirt represents Ireland.

In earlier times, fashion was meant for the elite and was a really expensive affair. It was termed as haute couture. It was only until the 19th century that mass production of clothes was started for the general people.

In today's world, fashion is changing really rapidly. There are brands which offer value for money and do not make a big hole in your pocket. Yet they are trendy and in fashion. There are premium fashion brands as well which are really expensive. Brands like Louis Vuitton, J Crew, PVH, Burberry, and Levis are styling the world and setting up the fashion trends.

Fashion is often dictated by many factors. The cycle begins after a designer draws inspiration from may be nature, a valley, a busy street or an animal and based on that designs clothes and accessories. These are often taken up by celebrities initially and general masses follow the trend.

Fashion changes continuously. A trend that lasts only for a small period of time and then goes away is a fad like the acid washed denims or the skinny ties. A classis on the other hand is a fashion trend that lasts for a larger period of time like the saree or the denim jeans.

Fashion has also led to the rise of new terms and work fields. Fashion journalism is one such modern day field. It's an important part of modern fashion. There are articles and reviews in all publication from News papers to fashion magazines describing the current trends and what the future holds for us.

The fashion industry today is certainly rising at an amazing speed and is set to become one of the biggest of all time both in terms of revenue generated and employment offered. It is also connecting world in its own way. In recent times we have seen many popular international brands coming up and establishing themselves in developing countries. Also, the production of most brands of west is done in the underdeveloped and developing countries. Thus the connection is certainly there.

Fashion is a really broad term and goes well beyond the way one dress up. It's more about the state of mind one is in. It's about expressing oneself. It's a giant waiting to sweep us off our feet n future.