The Sociology of Style: How Fashion Shapes Society

Fashion has played an important role throughout history within society, impacting perceptions, behavior, and cultural identity. This has taken various forms throughout the United States, especially regarding the choosing and sharing of fashion trends before the advent of the age of the internet. The urban-rural dichotomy regarding fashion trends made possible through the availability of department shops and the limitations placed upon the transfer of information, offers an appealing argument to explore the relationship between style and social organization.

The Rural-Urban Divide in Fashion Trends

Throughout a large part of the 20th century, fashion was dominated by a hierarchical system. Leading designers imposed trends that then trickled through the department stores that then chose to sell what they deemed to be "acceptable" to the clientele. However, the urban-rural difference saw the timing and selection of these trends vary quite dramatically.

Urban department stores like Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue made the latest fashion trends available soon after the launch on the catwalk. Rural areas, however, often saw last season's stock, sometimes even pieces that were a couple of seasons old, presented to them as "the latest fashion trends." The practice was made possible by a simple reasoning: it allowed retailers to maximize their profit margins through distribution to rural areas that lacked exposure to the latest fashion trends.

Prior to the advent of the internet and the widespread availability of national fashion publications, rural consumers often believed that the items they bought qualified as the fashionable ones. The boundaries of the fashion world were mostly dictated by local means, such as the small-town department store, catalogs like Sears or JCPenney, and the occasional fashion magazine that made it to the local coffee shop.

The Online World and Fast Fashion.

The emergence of the web has dramatically changed the dynamics for rural societies that once relied upon neighborhood and handpicked options. Blogs, YouTube, Instagram, and shopping websites allow individuals from various geographies to view the same fashion catwalk events, celebrity fashion, and influencer trends simultaneously. This greater exposure dramatically challenged the old model; rural societies that once trailed three years behind fashion are now fully abreast of current fashion.

The emergence and repeated exposure create an elevated awareness. Rural folks are increasingly positioned to measure options against current trends that are presented through the web. This shift created a dissatisfaction with traditional options that has prompted these consumers to move toward more modern designs. This shift fits within an overarching societal shift toward immediacy: "We see it, we want it now." The web has done more than simply bring people together; it has changed expectations dramatically, making real-time exposure to trends the new standard.

Fast fashion retailers like Zara, H&M, and Forever 21 took full advantage of the shift in consumer shopping behavior. With the quick production of cheap, fashion-leading apparel, the brands effectively countered the growing desire for modern fashion. As a result, the difference in fashion availability in rural regions has blurred. The shift has allowed rural shoppers to be dressed fashionably almost as rapidly as city dwellers.

Nevertheless, this fast pace comes along with tremendous disadvantages. The fast fashion model relies on mass production, cheap labor, and trendy but fleeting apparel, thus transforming the social understanding of fashion. The priority given to garments has changed to emphasize the constant need to comply with a continuous string of trends—demonstrating the role played by the internet to create an immediacy culture.

The Future of Fashion: Society's Influence

The fast-fashion era, where quantity trumps quality, is eventually doomed. With the growing awareness about the consequences to the planet, there comes a surge in the rejection of mass production and fast fashion. The contribution that fast fashion makes to pollution, the creation of waste, and the use of depleting resources have fueled global debate about sustainability, where consumers are becoming more conscious about seeking eco- and ethics-focused options. This shift will help create an appreciation once again for sturdy, well-made clothes that help save the planet and encourage a more responsible industry (Thank God).

Economic considerations are an important stimulus to favor quality over quantity within the apparel sector. Rising living costs and growing economic uncertainty force the consumer to favor lasting value over quick fixes. Throughout history, periods of economic downturn often prompted a cultural desire for practicality and longevity, wherein spending money on strong, well-fabricated garments provides a more positive financial reward than the constant need to replace cheaply made, ill-fabricated items. Furthermore, the rapid growth within the secondary market, fueled through the use of Depop and The RealReal, is altering consumer behavior. By lengthening the life of garments, these marketplaces create an appreciation for the handcraftsmanship and sustainability of apparel, thus making quality an ever-more essential factor within the fashion sector.

The prevailing cultural force of fast fashion will be replaced by an emphasis on sustainability, timelessness, and individuality—values that resonate with the expanding desire for authenticity within the rapidly changing times. But this shift within fashion culture indicates larger societal shifts toward a recommitment to intentionality and lasting value. Fashion has a unique ability to reflect and shape society; once the shift has taken place solidly enough, it has the capability to move beyond superfluity. It can transform into a vehicle for conscious self-expression and thoughtful consumption, thus rewriting the role it plays within our lives and within the natural world.