Fashion

Fashion describes a current (constantly changing) trend, chosen for a frivolous rather than logical or intellectual reason. Although it is most often used in the context of clothes and appearance, fashion can apply to music, art and even the choice of programming techniques.

Fashion in clothes has been used to express feelings, or associate with other people, for millenia. There is a great deal of choice available in the possible selection of clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect their personality or likes. When people who have cultural status start to wear new or different clothes it is common for a fashion trend to occur; people who like or respect them start to wear clothes of a similar style.

A central feature of fashion is that it is constantly changing. For some, this embodies all the negative aspects of capitalism: it results in waste and encourages people to buy things unnecessarily. Others, especially young people, enjoy the diversity that fashion brings, seeing the constant change as a way to satisfy their desire to experience new and interesting things.

There is always a variety of different fashions, in clothes or accessories, to choose from. At the same time there remains an equal or larger range that are 'out of fashion.' This brings up another central feature of fashion: it can be used to discriminate between status in a social group. Groups with high cultural status like to keep 'in fashion' to display their position, people who do not keep in fashion can be shunned. Because keeping in fashion often requires considerable amounts of money to be spent, fashion can be used to show off wealth.

Fashion can be important in attracting a partner. As well as showing certain features of a person's personality that might be appealing, being in fashion can demonstrate a person's status.

Practically every aspect of appearance (within reason) that can be changed, has been changed at some time.