In the past, fashion was seen as a personal choice. Depending on what one wore, you could tell if they were happy, sad, excited, or shy. Back then, clothes were more than something we simply wore. They were statements. They were expressions. And most importantly, they were an extension of the person who wore them.
However, clothes and fashion are seen more as social status. Luxury brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada have become a common place in our society that is not just for the very rich. Everyday people, just like you and me, wear many designer clothes and accessories as opposed to no-designer clothing sold at local department stores. And don’t think this is because clothes have become less expensive in the past decade! Anything sold from Gucci can range between $100 to $500, depending on what you purchase.
Yeah… As you can see, that’s out of the budget of many middle-class Americans. So, with all that stated, why do so many people spend so much money on designer clothes? It’s simply because clothes no longer serve as self-expression but instead function to demonstrate wealth. Regardless of whether you have it or not.
While such clothes are expensive, they demonstrate one influential thing: Money. And, consequently, if one is wearing designer clothes, that implies that the person wearing them has money as well. In our modern society, money equates to class, wealth, and to an extent, value. If a person is seen wearing designer clothes, then they are thus seen with class and wealth as well, setting them apart from everyone else.
Today, it’s no longer who we are, but rather who we appear as.
