Is fashion a reliable mirror of society?

Answer 1

You are what you wear.

This message conveys just about everything in a minimal statement.

Our clothes tell a lot about us. Our clothes tell us who we are in society and tells others about our personalities, our wants, needs, talents, dispositions and destination. It is said that ninety eight percent of what you say doesn't come out of your mouth. If so, then clothing is a silent but powerful communicator. It can camouflage or cover up, it can build or destroy an image. It can say 'I'm as good as you', 'I have the same interest', 'I'm important' or 'I'm not important' or even' I take myself' or my work too seriously'. Without a doubt, fashion is a prominent facade of our wellbeing in society.

At times, clothes are the only visible clues to an individual's personality. People respond and relate to the way we wear our clothing and clothes have now become a means for one human to evaluate another. A person is assessed the minute he or she enters the room, and most of this assessment is made from the clothes the person is wearing.

So yes, the evolution of clothes (fashion) may parallel social development or society. HOWEVER, can one call fashion a RELIABLE mirror of society?

Fashion is a statement that an individual wishes to make. The authenticity of this statement can be doubted. To consider fashion a RELIABLE mirror requires the assumption that the individual is honestly and reliably dressed in a fashion that coi incides with his or her own socio-economic scenario. Celebrities, politicans and royalty have the most influence on fashion and people blindly follow them reagardless of their socio economic standing. So to classify an entire society as celebrities or politicans would be ridiculous. Most people adopt celebrity fashion, especially today. So to stereotype society into the rich and powerful would not be relaible or accurate. One cannot consider individuals to be rich and powerful just because they are dressed like those who are. According to magazine polls, most people can't even afford what they buy today. A woman would buy a versace outfit and then realise that she cant pay her cell phone and gasoline invoices for the month.

With today's changing pattern, fashion is becoming more and more important and conflicting with reality. nowaday's, people are not dressing up according to reality. Girls like dressing up the same as Victoria Bekham or Mary Kate Olsen. These celebrities style themselves in Salvatore Feragamo glasses and their lowest dip would be Ray Ban's. Most girls would look for cheaper substitutes and buy them so one can call this a mirror of society, but not a RELIABLE one, as an onlooker may not know that the individual is wearing a cheap copy and would think 'ah same expensive glasses'.

Take a look at rockstar Giles Mcstew who is a lawyer by profession. This tatoo bearing guitarist would pose a different role in society for those who are unaware of his being a lawyer. So, he would be a mirror of society for music lovers, but for lawyers- not a very reliable mirror indeed.

So in conclusion, one can say that fashion is a mirror of society. But the authenticity of this mirror, metaphorically speaking, can be argued.