Before we begin our discussion on fashion and its place in our society let’s first try to understand what fashion really is.
Wikipedia defines fashion as: A general term for a popular style or practice, especially in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, body piercing, or furniture.”
It is very difficult to follow a given set of parameters that can define our individual concept of fashion. With such a vast diversity of cultures and interests, a single pointed dimension does not do justice to our imaginative minds. It is an ever changing and an ever evolving set of ideas that are followed to bring about a newness or uniqueness in various dimensions of our lifestyle.
Fashion has been a part of our society from the very beginning, changing its form and subject as the need arises. For me, not choosing to follow the popular trends could mean fashion, however, for a dedicated fashion enthusiast, following these trends in depth might define his/her entire character and the concept of fashion.
When we talk of the necessity, this need arises from the very creative minds, wanting to transform their ideas in to something that the world can see. It is not only their desire, but to let out all those fierce and out of the box ideas, becomes a need for them to be able to express themselves. This gives birth to the most talented minds, as world known personalities, who begin to explore this burst of ideas as a career, which has now largely come to be known as the “fashion industry”.
These Fashion Gurus, start to define the trends, styles, lifestyles that can be called as the latest fashion for a particular period of time. Whereas, others begin to follow these guidelines, due to the immense faith and respect that they develop for these Gurus over time. These trends can be in a vast array of areas such as clothing, footwear, interiors, furniture, paintings, body art, hair etc. However these trends are short lived and take a new form over a period of few weeks or months, as and when new ideas start bubbling into the creative minds of our fashion gurus.
So we can largely say that fashion becomes a need for few, in the form of a career due to their dire need to express their ideas. And it also becomes a necessity for the very fashion conscious followers to be an active part of this idea conceptualization. It becomes a daily part of their life to keep themselves updated with the latest trends and religiously follow them.
However following all this fashion comes at a price, since it is an art that is generated from great talented minds, that can take as long as years to conceptualize their ideas. It is not a product that can be manufactured at any given time, from any given machine. It needs inspiration and some nurturing.
Hence following these trends and to be a part of the fashion industry is not an opportunity that everyone can afford. However there are still people who have this great desire to be acceptable in the society or rather known in the society as Fashionable. It is a want that arises from seeing the glamorous world that exists around them, and the urge to be a part of it captures their mind and heart. They want to look good, and feel good, and to be complimented on their great fashion sense. It is a form of peer pressure that spreads like a virus, and before people realize they are hit by it! Many of us, though not understanding this glamorous world of fashion, are forced to look or behave the way others want us to. Several times during this process we are lost and don’t understand out rue nature, and wants, and desires. Wanting to be fashionable becomes an injected desire.