ABSTRACT
Many scholars in the literature on fashion and clothing emphasize that people are increasingly free to express their individuality through their clothing. In the past, they say, imitation and conformity were central in explaining what they wore, but today, there has been a shift toward individualism. There were rules dictating what people should wear and when and how to wear it, including how long skirts should be and what colors should be worn and when. For dress, there was a set "correct mode of behavior" and people followed it. They followed it because doing so showed that they understood the rules and were capable of choosing the "correct" behavior. People's clothing sends messages. Different pants, shirts, jackets, shoes, socks, underwear symbolize different backgrounds, values, beliefs, tastes, lifestyles, interests, statuses. These messages are not inherent in the items of clothing. Rather, items of clothing take on different social meanings at different times and different places.
