Fashion is an umbrella term for different kinds of trends in dressing, which can be categorized broadly into two main segments: Western and Eastern. Fashion in English is often used synonymously with its more common counterpart, what we usually call fashion, while in other languages, such as Japanese and Korean, it is used to refer specifically to the type of dressing characteristic of a culture. Fashion in common usage, when used in English, implies individuality and a distinctive style of dress, but when used in the context of a particular culture, it is meant more precisely. Fashion in today’s language generally refers to the variety of styles, fashions, and trends of dress developed in Western countries in response to the Industrial Revolution and other periods of mass production and mass communication. Fashion as a term is usually associated with the trends developed by Western societies especially in the last century or so. Although fashion changes according to the interests and preferences of the people wearing them, the history of fashion, which dates back to ancient times, can be traced through a long series of cultural patterns and traditions.
Fashion has always been the central point of attention in many civilizations, since the earliest days. It is the one thing that unites the East and the West. In fact, early Egyptian art makes use of various motifs and representations of fashion in order to emphasize the centrality of beauty. The Egyptian religion and culture are strongly influenced by their sense of fashion, as it was closely tied to the hieroglyphic language that they used for writing. Even as far back as 3500 BC, the art of Egyptians is well known for various stylized representations of various aspects of life and fashion.
With the development of Western civilization, fashion also came to represent wealth and status. The rich and the powerful used the influence of fashion on clothing to exude social power and authority. Fashion was even used as a way to assert the will of the individual in his social and political arena. Fashion in ancient times was very much tied to the religious practices and beliefs of the individuals who were the most important members of society. This made the concept of fashion even more complex, since the very nature of these customs and beliefs placed an importance on the preservation of the material and earthly resources. However, even today, many people still put a great deal of importance on fashion.