Fashion of the new century: Modern fashion or expression of social status and clothes for success

Abstract

In today's digitalized society, fashion is a phenomenon that affects all social subjects, consciously or unconsciously, as an informant of their cultural, social, economic, philosophical, spiritual, and even modern metaphysical changes and understandings. Clothing is one of the first and primary markers that provide information to the environment about an individual's national and class affiliation, wealth, and age, and over time information about the extent of the messages to be sent to others through color, the quality of the fabric, the decoration in the costume, the presence (or absence) of details - fashion elements that are as complex as the structure of society itself. Why is fashion used to achieve career (and even personal) influence and success? In contrast to the traditional capitalist fashion system, in which the elite (wealthy class) corresponded directly to the current fashion trends and consciously imposed them on the lower social classes, today's fashion can be identified as the individual's striving to assert his "self" and to be distinguished by its exterior, by the choice of clothes, through which he demonstrates a certain social position. At the same time, through it he expresses his individuality, one that defies the conformism of the upper classes, eager for rivalry imposed by the strong competition, which grows into a struggle for social superiority and continuous metamorphoses. From a psychological point of view, it hints at a person with increased aspirations and a strong desire for social acceptability in a certain social circle, gaining affection, friends, a desire for professional success and achieving established non-verbal communication and a strong (and above all verified) impression on others.

Keywords

• fashion
• social phenomenon
• social superiority
• success