“Fashion” is a broad term used for describing any variety of current fashion trends in dress, adornment, jewelry, and hairstyling. Fashion is also a way of individuality and self expression in a certain time and place and at a certain context. In fact, fashion itself was coined from the Greek word meaning “dressing.” The word means basically a style defined by the fashion industry as what is trendy now. And it is a term that is constantly changing, ever changing, as more fashions become available through the Internet, television, and print.
One of the first major fashion trends to hit the United States was the “high fashion” of the late eighteen hundreds to mid nineteenth century, characterized by dresses that were long and flowing and had an overall haute couture look. This fashion was popular among the upper classes of both males and females, as well as in the music and art world. In fact, many people in the United States and other parts of the world associated the style of dress with the person’s status in society.
The styles that are regarded as “high fashion” today are generally separated by size, fabrics, cut, colors, lengths, or patterns. These fashions tend to be very individual, even though they may share some commonalities among designers. However, there have been many instances of complete trends arising from one type of fashion item. The haute fashion of today includes fashion pieces such as pants, skirts, tops, dresses, gowns, lingerie, suits, shoes, jewelry, hats, scarves, hair accessories, watches, and fashion books. Haute couture fashions can also include sports and hobbies such as skateboarding, snowboarding, skateboard riding, snowmobiling, biker gear, motorcycle gear, and golfing gear. In addition, fashions can also be based on an individual’s personal preference; a person’s style may include certain ethnic, cultural, or even body-conscious garments.