Fashion

While it is true that fashion, in many ways, has outgrown it's classification as purely behavioral, the reflective aspects of fashion are strongly rooted in those same aspects of clothing that are most behavioral. A prime example of this is the trend towards brands like Nike and Puma as streetwear, as the labels seemingly portray a level of athleticism, which even when not directly utilitarian, portrays a level of fitness implying sexual fitness, and therefore "immodesty."

Fashion changes partly because technologies change, and as such, the clothing that can be made changes, and because society changes, and puts different requirements on individuals. The pinnacle of formalwear remains, in many ways, as it was over 150 years ago, as the requirements of a formal party have remained virtually unchanged. At the same time however, more informal party wear has manage to evolve on an almost weekly basis. Fashion's ability to either distinguish oneself or hide one amongst the crowds means that as a reflective outlet, the clothing's capacity for rapid social commodification forces the medium to evolve. In short, fashion evolves partly out of a desire to evolve simply for evolution's sake.

Firstly, a garment needs a context- somewhere to be, a tuxedo jacket fails as sportswear, but it does so intentionally. After context the garment should be original, a distinguishing feature or combination of features that give the consumer a reason to purchase it, and thirdly, the originality should, at least in some sense be appealing, either visually, tactilly or mentally in it's very lack of otherwise appeal. A garment should either accomplish something, as with sportswear, or say something.