What you wear on your body can reflect your state of mind. With fashion having come of age, clothes can certainly help you make a statement of your own. Clothing has evolved from the very basic need of individuals to cover themselves. According to archaeologists and anthropologists, early men probably used fur, leaves, and animal skins to drape themselves and to protect their bodies from their immediate climate.

Clothing serves functional as well as social purposes as well as reflecting cultural meaning. In an age like this, you can tell of a person’s position by the clothes that you see him wearing. Varying greatly from region to region, what is central to clothing is the use of materials that go into its making. Some of the common clothing materials used by the textile industry are cotton, flax, wool, silk, fur, leather, nylon, etc.

Clothing in the twenty-first century has become synonymous with fashion, and universally the western fashion has gained predominance over ethnic attire. For example, the international standard business attire for men is comprised of a business suit with a long-sleeved shirt and a tie, an ensemble that is essentially western in nature.

Western clothing also comes in many varieties, from expensive haute couture to thrift-store grunge. In the United States, the mainstream fashion is dominated by “catalogue” fashion; regional styles such as preppy or western wear. The U.S. has also seen the rise of alternative fashion associated with styles of famous musicians or Hollywood stars. The clothing market is also witnessing major changes, like the development and use of man-made fibers such as nylon, polyester, and lycra. In the near future, clothing might incorporate wearable computers, flexible wearable displays, medical sensors, etc.

Clothing, once was used as a bare necessity to cover body parts, has truly been revolutionized into a full-fledged industry. Clothes are no longer a mere part of human existence—they have become a style statement, a conscious effort by human beings to carve distinction.