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Our daily decision of "what shall
1 wear?" has actually been shaped
through history.
Two basic desires fuel the
fashion industry - novelty and conformity. Almost
everyone enjoys wearing something
new. That is why we sometimes buy
clothes, not because we need to replace
something old, but simply because we
want a change. At the same time,
we want to look appropriate, and we
do not want to look out of place, so
we buy clothes that conform to some
degree to the style worn by the friends
in our geographical area. Over
the centuries the clothing industry has
catered to and exploited these
desires for novelty and conformity.
Background
History
To create style, designers
use five basic elements: color,
silhouette, drape, texture and patterns.
The options available to designers
in all five areas were not always present.
In ancient Egypt, for example, locally
produced see-through linen was the
a fabric of choice. But it could
not be dyed easily and was just one
color - bleached white. So, Egyptian
fashion designers pleated the material
into a pleasing drape to create one
of the world's most enduring styles,
During the first century
only affluent Romans used silk from
China or India because it was as costly
to import as gold. Due to cost, changes
in styles came slowly and usually affected
just nobility. For centuries kings
and nobles set the standards of
dress, and a costly garment would likely
be in fashion for a lifetime.
After the industrial
revolution, it became possible for
the common people to be more fashionable. Mechanized
mills brought the price of fabrics
down. Because of sewing machines clothes
could be produced more cheaply, and
new synthetic dyes offered a greater
color choice.
Social and technological
changes played an even greater role
in clothing the masses. People had
more money, and in the 1850's
women's magazines appeared, bringing fashion
trends to the fore and offered inexpensive
patterns so that women could make
their own clothes. Soon department
stores began offering ready-to-wear
clothes in standard sizes.
In the 20th century manufacturers
offered a wider array of fabrics. As
movies and television became popular,
stars set fashion trends for all
to see. Today, advertisers make effective
use of magazines, shop windows, television
and entertainers to generate a demand
for new clothes.
Because of globalization,
new fashion trends appear almost simultaneously
all over the world and feed our desire
for novelty and conformity. Today,
young people have taken the place of
the wealthy as the most ardent fashion
enthusiasts.
Putting
Fashion Into Perspective
The fashion designer
aims to enhance our beauty through
the clothes we wear, but we shouldn't
allow the media to impose it's own
stereotype.
Fashion
by it's own nature is transient. We
can dress well without being a
slave to fashion. The
secret lies in learning to buy
clothes that suit you using your
color and style information as
your guide. Your closet will then
be filled with outfits that are
practical, combine well, and won't
quickly so out of style.
Remember: Dress is a symbol
of what we think of ourselves, and
is nonverbal communication.
Make the message clear
by dressing in harmony. It will
help to make you more comfortable,
confident and ageless. |
