The fashion industry is a multibillion-dollar global enterprise devoted to the design, manufacture and marketing of clothing. There is sometimes a distinction made between the “high fashion” shown on runways in Paris and New York and the mass-produced sportswear and street styles sold in malls and markets around the world, but these lines often blur.
The way we dress reflects our personality, values and culture. It can express our individuality, define our membership in groups (goths, skaters, preps, herbs) or create distance between us and those who do not share our views. Fashion can also serve as a tool of social control; in nineteenth century England, laws prohibited people from wearing clothes produced in France.
Throughout history, fashion has been influenced by many factors, from political events and wars to cultural shifts and the ever-changing tastes of individuals. Some of these changes happen quickly, like the changing textile colors and patterns that galvanized men’s coats, while others are more gradual, such as the length of a waistcoat or the shape of a cravat.
In writing about Fashion, it is important to use clear language and avoid jargon or overly-technical terms. As with all types of writing, impeccably-written grammar is essential, but it is especially important in Fashion articles, where the writer’s words can have such a powerful impact on the reader. It is also helpful to research the subject extensively and to reference sources carefully. It is not acceptable to plagiarize or to take someone else’s ideas and present them as one’s own.