Fashion is a way of dressing that reflects one’s personality. Clothing styles can change rapidly, but some designs are more popular than others, and some become classic staples that endure for a long time. Fashions can also reflect social attitudes and cultural beliefs. For example, women who wear revealing dresses may be seen as scandalous in some societies.
Fashions vary considerably within a society, according to age, social class, generation, occupation, and geography. In some cases, fashions may be dictated by religion.
Many people enjoy following fashion trends, experimenting with new looks or reverting to old favorites. However, some people dislike the fast pace of fashion changes. They feel that the current trends encourage wastefulness and over-spending, because clothes are worn out so quickly and must be replaced frequently. Other people, especially young people, enjoy the diversity that changing fashions can provide, seeing it as a form of entertainment.
Some clothing designers create specific lines of clothes that reflect particular lifestyles, eras, or regions. They then market the clothes to the appropriate buyers. Fashion can also be influenced by music and film, and the latest styles can be found in advertisements on buses and in magazines.
The fashion industry is a massive business, employing millions of workers to design, sew, glue, dye, and transport clothes to stores. Many clothing lines are designed in one country, manufactured in another, and sold in a third. Fashion can also be influenced by events such as political or religious movements, wars, or natural disasters.