A fashion remains popular for a few months
or years before being replaced by yet another fashion. A product or activity is
in fashion or is fashionable during the period of time
that a large segment of society accepts it. After a time, however, the same
product or activity becomes old-fashioned
when the majority of people no longer accept it.
Most people do not easily accept extreme
changes in fashion . Therefore, most new fashions closely resemble those they
replace.
A clothing style may be introduced as a
fashion, but its use becomes a custom
if it is handed down from generation to generation. For example, in the early 1800's,
long trousers replaced knee-length pants and stockings as the fashion in men's
clothing in Europe and the United States. Today, wearing long trousers is a custom
for men in most countries. But fashionable variations in the colour and shape
of trousers have occurred over the years.
A fashion that quickly comes and goes is
frequently called a fad. The
majority of people do not accept fads. Some people may become involved in
faddish behaviour because fads can be widely publicized. Fads of the mid-1900's
included playing with such toys as hula hoops and skateboards.
Why people follow fashion
Before the 1800's, some countries had laws
that regulated the clothing fashions of people in certain social classes. Many
of these sumptuary laws were
designed to preserve the class system. Sometimes, they forced people to buy
products manufactured in their own country. An English law of the 1600's
required men of the lower classes to wear woollen caps made in England.
However, this same law permitted men of high position to wear velvet hats from
France and Italy.
Today, people follow fashion for various
reasons. For example, they may want to identify with a select group of people.
New fashions may be adopted immediately by well-known people, including
athletes, film stars, and political figures. Then, other people may follow
these fashions so that they can identify with this privileged group. Some
people think that fashionable clothes and surroundings raise their status in
life.
Following fashion provides a way for
people to gain acceptance from others. This adoption of fashion applies more
to clothes and social behaviour than to cars, houses, and other items that most
people cannot afford to replace frequently. During the 1950's and 1960's, many
young people identified with one another's political and social beliefs by
wearing blue jeans. After a while, blue jeans became a fashion that was
accepted by a wide variety of people.
People also follow fashion to make
themselves more attractive. Standards of beauty change over the years, and
people decorate themselves to fit their society's changing standards. Ideas of
beauty also vary from culture to culture. For example, people in many
countries use cosmetics to increase their attractiveness. In some countries,
people use tinted cream on their cheeks. In other countries, people decorate
themselves with tattoos and with scars filled with coloured clay.
Men and women have always enjoyed changing
their appearance. Following new fashions in clothes, hair styles, and makeup
allows people to alter their appearance in a generally accepted way.
What causes fashion to change
Major changes in fashion occurred
infrequently before the 1300's. Since then, the political and social conditions
of a country, plus technological developments, have influenced fashion in
various ways.
Political and social conditions. During the 1300's, the rulers of many European countries began to set
fashions that were followed by the members of their courts. In the mid-1600's,
King Louis XIII of France began wearing a wig to hide his baldness. Fashionable
Frenchmen soon began to shave their heads and wear wigs. In the mid-1800's,
English women are said to have copied Queen Victoria's stout figure by wearing
puffy dresses with padding underneath.
Some fashion changes have accompanied a
breakdown in the system of social classes. The members of the nobility lost
much of their power during the 1300's, the nobility began to dress more
elaborately to distinguish themselves from the middle classes.
During the mid-180ffs, mass production of
clothing made fashionable clothes available to more people at lower prices.
People of all social classes began to wear similar styles of clothing. Today,
it is easier to identify an expensive garment by the quality of its fabric and
manufacture than by its style.
Over the years, fashions in games and
sports have influenced the way people dress. During the 1700's, people in
England adopted simpler clothing styles after they became interested in fox
hunting and other outdoor sports. Today, many people wear special clothing for
such activities as golf, horse riding, hunting, and tennis.
Wars have also affected the style of dress
in a country. European soldiers returning from the crusades during the 1100's
and 1200's brought back various Eastern ideas of dress styles. The crusaders
also returned with rich silk and other textiles that were not available in Europe.
During the French Revolution (1789-1795),
the elegant dress styles associated with the French nobility were replaced by
plainer fashions. After Napoleon became emperor in 1804, he brought back
elaborate fashions in clothing for the court.
During World War II (1939-1945), the
shortage of fabrics limited new fashions. The governments of many countries
restricted the amount of fabric that could be used in various garments. Nylon
stockings were also scarce during World War II, and many women began wearing
leg paint.
Technological developments. The development of new dyes, machinery, and textiles has greatly
affected most areas of fashion, especially clothing. The style of dress has
changed frequently in countries that have highly mechanized production systems.
During the early 1700's, new dyes made new
colour combinations possible in clothes. In the late 1700's, the invention of
the toothed cotton gin, the power loom, and other machines sped up the
production of fabric and yarn. Industrial mass production of clothing began
after the development of improved sewing machines during the mid-1800's. The
production of many identical garments resulted in a more uniform clothing style
for many people. Since that time, the garment industry has influenced the
design of new clothing fashions.
In the early 1900's, manufacturers began
to make clothing and other products from synthetic fabrics. These materials
have become popular because they are easier to care for and less expensive than
some natural fibres. People began to wear lighter-weight clothing at about the
same time, following the development of more efficient heating systems.
At one time, changes in fashion spread slowly from one country to
another. Today, various communication systems keep people informed on current
fashion developments in all parts of the world. Related articles Brummell,
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Sports is an activity involving physical exertion
and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for
entertainment.
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