Fashion has always been an important part of culture. It's also one of the factors that define the existing culture at that point of time in history. But is the fashion we follow just about keeping up with trends?
Styling
The way you dress is considered an extension of your personality. Dressing flamboyantly or frumpishly has an impact on others. When we need others to think we have got a fabulous personality or that we have got great taste, we will dress in the way that we think will convince them! Physical attractiveness is one of the key aspects that increases our chances of hitting it off with new people. And a sharp sense of fashion will definitely help you play up your features or cover your flaws. And not only do clothes reflect our feelings, they can also influence the way we think about ourselves. If you dress in a way that gets you a lot of positive feedback from those around you, you'd probably start believing that you have a great sense of style!
Acceptance
Clothes also reflect more than just our personality. We often dress to conform to the norms of our social group and to gain acceptance from peers, as is evident during adolescence. One's membership to a group, ascribed or aspired-for, may be flaunted by adopting clothes approved by the group. Certain forms of dressing are also related to the role played by the person in society. In many societies, broader roles such as that of a member belonging to a specific gender or age-group require appropriate dressing, else the risk of societal scorn arises. We also have archetypes that are dressed accordingly. Popular culture depicts rock stars wearing black. Even most Indian Gods have their own pet dress codes! The way clothes are perceived depends a lot on culture as well. The basic rituals the society is built upon and the way men and women are perceived are reflected in the kind of clothes acceptable to a particular culture.We are social beings, and the need for acceptance from society is intrinsically tied up with the fashion of the times.
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