Changing Fashion Formula
In an effort to define fashion, Henry Fielding. a famous British Playwright once said, “Fashion is the science of appearance and it inspires one with the desire to seem, rather than be.” He couldn’t have put it better. Fashion is really all about showcasing oneself as one would like to be perceived by others. Changing fashion was initially restricted to the West but today it is practiced with much gusto the world over, especially among urban populations. The history of change in fashion can be traced back to the early eighth century in Spain. Ziryab, a famous musician and stylist migrant from Baghdad, sowed the first seed of fashion in Europe. He created a sophisticated clothing line based on seasonal and daily timings. Clothes for winter were made of warm cotton or wool and were in dark colours so they could retain heat; while clothes for summer were made of light fabrics like flax and cotton in colours that reflected light. Ziryab was probably one of the first to suggest different clothing for mornings, afternoons and evenings.
Fashion keeps changing all the time. Following fashion trends is really tedious for the common man who spends all his waking hours labouring to put food on his plate and to have a roof over his head. Following fashion can help improve one’s appearance and also boost one’s self-confidence. While the right outfit could minimize your flaws and highlight your positive features, it can also affect the way you are perceived by others. The constant change in fashion is probably one of the many negative aspects of capitalism because it urges people to buy things unnecessarily and persuades them to buy recklessly. Changing fashion is probably fueled by the fact that consumers see the constant change as a means to satisfy their desire to experience something new and different. Shoppers get trapped in the vicious circle of constantly replenishing their wardrobes. After all, the retail segment stands to gain only if it is able to keep churning out new styles. The rate at which clothes get outdated is directly proportional to the money the fashion house makes. The unsuspecting and naive consumer gets lured into buying clothes just to keep up-to-date.
Fashion for most people is about using clothes and accessories to either highlight or hide something about themselves. Fashion is also about making statements. It serves as an extension of one’s personality. You can be identified by the clothes you choose to wear. What you wear could convey a liberal lifestyle, a personal cause, a political view or even a rejection of society. Outrageous as these styles may seem, there is usually a relatively high level of compliance within the group. Many times those who do not subscribe to a group’s ideals are attracted to the style. There is something positive about changing fashion comfort. Changing fashion has meant that lots of money is dedicated to fabric research. Clothes that are wrinkle free, water resistant are just a few of the things that changing fashion has made possible. Garments made from fabrics that allow for sweat to dry faster, fabrics that don’t stick to ones body, fabrics that stretch; have revolutionized sport. Warm clothes in winter when the temperatures outside are freezing is one of the many gifts of changing fashion. Change in fashion styles has allowed for leggings to be worn in winter and shorts to be worn in summer.
The changing formula has also meant that we can walk better, run better, dance better and swim better too, thanks to clothes that are tailor-made to specifications. Changing fashion is about wearing something new to boost your self-confidence, about wearing something in style to be able to conform to your surroundings, it is about comfort or making a statement, but sometimes it is just about spending away the millions you have stashed away.
