The Importance of Fashion as a Social Hierarchy Statement Essay

Have you ever wondered what people in the Elizabethan Era wore? Fashion was just as important in those days as it is to some people today. What people were wearing mattered to others, and even the government. During the Elizabethan Era clothing, accessories, and cosmetics were all a part of daily life.

Fashion has been a prominent aspect of a woman’s life throughout time. Women of different times and cultures have turned the routine of picking out clothes and putting together different ensembles into a sort of art, or a way to express and promote themselves. Many women also see fashion as part of their identity, or a way to manipulate the way people see them. What a woman wears can drastically change the way society views her - it can increase her chances of getting a job, or make her gain respect (or rejection) from her peers (Sika n.p.).

There was a time when social classes were most easily identified through material goods and possessions. Whether wealth was gained through inheritance or hard work, it was the luxury items that made the most visible and tangible statement regarding a person’s social status. Men could rely on a large house or expensive car to proclaim the success they had earned. It was much more common to see women adorned in jewels, designer clothes, and furs as symbols of her upper class status. The extravagance of a woman’s appearance was a reflection of the success of her husband, so it was natural to indulge her desire for expensive material possessions.

For decades now, humans have always been so quick to judge a book by it’s cover; one’s clothes help create the cover to this book. Norton brings up various styles individuals wear and how it displays their character to the world. For instance, “a display in the window of polo provides an embarrassment of semiotic riches” (Norton 88). One who wears the brand polo is someone who is of the upper class due to it’s vogue aesthetic and price tags. This goes for any high end designer brand like Michael Kors or Chanel; if one is seen covered in such a luxury, there is no doubt they are living in wealth. By wearing this clothing, one is being told to attain the typical preeminent behavior of the rich, having an attitude that they surpass all others. Moreover, Frank focuses on a particular group who have this rock and roll flare. He believes “we consume not to fit in, but to prove, on the surface at

Fashion is everything to society and the media. The fashion industry has transformed into a necessity in the life of people. Everyone wants to look good, feel fabulous and feel as if we belong with everyone else. The envy and desire to wear certain things and look a certain way all come, from wearing the latest fashion handbags, accessories, dresses, shoes, and the list goes on. But, when is considering fashion into an individual’s life going too far to the extreme? Many do not consider the whereabouts of fashion materials and how the environment is affected by the mere existence of certain garments. Some may believe these objects grow on trees. But that is clearly not the case. Even though it would be nice. The fashion industry as a

LaTanya waits aimlessly at Lampasse Boutique on 8th avenue in New York’s trendy West Village Shopping district. Pop stars and R&B royalty drop heavy cash to be red carpet perfection, and for Mya’s senior prom, her last true moment of stunting as Overbrook’s resident queen of fashion, no small detail could be left to chance. The other female students were bragging about custom made dresses they were getting made for a stack by popular tailors like Rodeo Kids Designer Fabrics on Philadelphia’s legendary fabric row, but Mya Campbell’s standards and taste levels are too high. Only a prom dress fit for a princess will do.

The fashion industry is rapidly growing and constantly generating new fashion trends almost weekly. Fashion for some may seem ridiculous and unnecessary; but fashion is not just a meaningless usage of article of clothing or farcical materials sew together for coverage. There is more to fashion than meets the eyes, fashion is precious and significant. It is a reflection of self-image, it speak the ream about who we are and how we review ourselves. Not only is fashion the reflection of self-image but also the reflection of our history as Coco Channel have said, “Fashion is not something that exist in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Fashion

Change is a theme that is ever-present in our culture and society. Often this change is reflected in the dress of its people. From the fashionable silhouettes of the 1920’s to the colorful 60’s, hip-hop look of 90’s up to the modern twist of today, social change and change in fashion has, in theory and practice, been linked. According to ask.com, Fashion can be defined as a prevalent style by a particular group at a particular time, and, therefore, may be linked to a specific cultural and historical context in which there is general acceptance of a given style or look

The Trickle-down theory, a well-known theory in fashion industry, has significant meaning in 19th to 20th century Europe. The American economist and sociologist, Veblen, published The theory of the Leisure Class by 1899, in which he discussed the split between the leisure class and the industrial class in the US critically. He concluded that leisure class treats dress as a sign of their status and possessions, furthermore, ‘Dress must not only be conspicuously expensive and inconvenient; it must at the same time be up to date’(Veblen 1994), by saying that, he refers to upper class was tend to create new fashion trend which was the top of the trickle-down theory. In the 20th century, Simmel, the

Ever since their invention many centuries ago, clothes have been used as a way of communicating. The message communicated relies on a number of factors including the social background of both the communicator and the receiver, and the context in which the message is communicated. Although at times the exact message or symbolism one is trying to portray may not be clear, it is evident that clothing has long been embraced as one of the best ways to project one’s desired personal image to those around them.

1. Go to a public place and OBSERVE the community of people in that place for at least 30 minutes; perhaps as long as 60 minutes. In your report, describe the setting and note the date and time of your observation. Describe the element of “community” that you observed.

When you think of the word fashion, what do you think? Do you think about outrageous runway outfits? Cocktail dresses? Tracksuits? Whatever your impression of fashion, it is obvious that fashion plays an important role in today's society. We are judged by our clothing and appearance on an everyday basis, so why not make the most of our choices?

“Fashion, as noted above, is a product of class distinction and operates like a number of other forms, honor especially, the double function of which consists in revolving within a given circle and at the same time emphasizing it as separate from others.  Just as the frame of a picture characterizes the work of art inwardly as a coherent, homogeneous, independent entity and at the same outwardly severs all direct relations with the surrounding space, just as the uniform energy of such forms cannot

The attraction to Englishman Charles Frederick Worth’s garments caused by royalty was the origin to the relevance and recognition of haute Couture in the 19th Century. Ruth Lynam, editor of Couture concludes the growth of Worth’s wealth, she states: “The princess was the instrument of good fortune for Charles Worth...” (Lynam, 1972:54) What Lynam seems to be stating is the pecuniary advantage the Princess Pauline de Metternich supported with her admiration for his creations. The promotion of his designs are partly owed to the princess however without the recognition perhaps haute couture wouldn’t have been relevant or would not have been as effective. The

1. Identity is people's concepts of who they are, of what sort of people they are, and how