While the modern fashion industry might have started in the early 19th century when one Charles Frederick Worth decided to include his label into his craftsmanship, the history dates back to the start of human civilization. Ever since the early humans learned the use of tools, dresses made of animal hide and vegetation has been adopted across ancient civilizations spanning Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome.
By the mid-nineteenth century, the distinction between haute couture and ready-to-wear came to the fore, as noblemen and ladies requested for custom-made clothing. Since then, a century has passed, and the fashion industry hasn’t looked back. Influenced by the popular culture, political movements, and iconic figures, this socio-cultural phenomenon that is ‘fashion’ has evolved exponentially and shaped the way human beings view themselves and others. To some being fashionable is a necessity while to others, it is a way to express themselves, to stand out and be different.
From the glittery ’20s to the androgynous style of the ’40s, the mod fashion of the ’60s, disco clothing of the ’80s epitomized by bell bottoms and platform shoes to the minimalistic and gothic trend of the ’90s; fashion has never been constant. Trends resurge, and styles come back only to be discarded into the secret wardrobe. Whether you want to blend in, stand out or make heads turn, it is essential to be a part of the conversation and follow up with the latest trends.
Few Essential Fashion and Lifestyle Forums
1. Male Female Fashion Advice subreddits
Reddit is a fantastic platform to find and join relevant discussion threads and communities, aka subreddits. Male Fashion Advice (/r/malefashionadvice) and Female Fashion Advice (/r/femalefashionadvice) are two very supportive communities with a good mixture of enthusiasm and experience. Fashion newbies and casuals can join the ‘Fit Checks’ and ‘What Are You Wearing Today’ threads to get opinions about their attire. Fashionistas can join the discussions on continually evolving fashion trends and update their wardrobe accordingly.
2. LookBook
Spanning from the Americas to Asia, LookBook is an international social platform for fashion enthusiasts to showcase their wardrobe and pick up outfit ideas from the displayed catalogs. While casuals are most welcome to glance through the collections, LookBook caters towards fashionistas with style acumen and a strong desire to experiment with outfit ideas. Users can upload photos of their complete outfit to be voted on and commented. Several design styles, the likes of chic, bohemian, street, vintage, Victorian, hipster, and more are on display here.
3. Kaizala Fashion and Lifestyle
Just like Reddit, there are a lot of active and supportive communities on the Microsoft Kaizala app. These communities are easy to discover and join. One of the most active communities on the platform is Fashion and Lifestyle. This group comprises of working professionals, students, men and women from around the world, offering the latest update in workwear, trendy footwear, over the top camp and hottest steal deals. Perfect for casuals and fashion enthusiasts alike, this is a group worth joining and engaging in.
4. The Fashion Spot
This fashion and lifestyle forum provides a plethora of discussion topics, with threads ranging from trend spotting to vintage style, latest fashion show, and seasonal collections. Engage in model talk, get the front row updates from the most recent fashion week, and pick up trendy advice about shoes, handbags, and accessories. Not just clothing and apparel, users can discuss hair styling, makeup, DIY personal style, and much more. Get the hottest industry-insider news in the announcement corner and stay ahead of the pack.
5. The Hunt
As the name suggests, The Hunt is a unique community where you can track and find the fashionable items you crave. All you need to do is upload a photo of the item you are looking for and describe features like size and the price, and The Hunt will do the rest. You can also ask for fashion opinions by hosting a poll on what should you wear. Alternatively, you could ask for advice or a wardrobe makeover from the community experts and style gurus. There are various style catalogs to browse from Viz. Girly, Trendy, Boho, Beach Style, Streetstyle, Grunge, Edgy, and Hipster.
