The evolution and influence of travel has turned fashion into a global entity. Everyone has their own sense of personal style whether they realize it or not. However, being a well-traveled person with experiences from a multitudinous amount of destinations around the world enhances someone’s sense of style and appreciation of fashion. Going global allows people to step out of their own world, that may cause them to be sheltered from exposure to other cultures and fashion trends. The increased accessibility to travel has caused an evolution and integration of fashion globally in recent decades.
To begin, traveling includes permanent moves, temporary relocating, vacationing, and even the observation of other people’s travel through social media. When someone picks up their things and decides to switch locations, whether for an extensive amount of time or not, they are providing themselves with the opportunity to explore the world of fashion from a standpoint that was never available to them before. A family moves across the country, a teenager attends college away from home, a bachelorette party heads to a tropical vacation, or even a homebody scrolls through the Instagram hashtag “travel”. These are all examples of travel that influence each of these individual’s potential adaptations to their own sense of style. When living in new places people tend to integrate with the social norms. Especially with extensive amounts of time in a new location, people not only begin to adapt to the area, but also adopt. Time allows people to indulge in new cultures or groups of people that they previously may have known little to nothing about. Once new connections have been formed the appreciation of culture can be seen through the relocator’s new sense of style.
Subsequently, particular regions and countries have their own styles that they have adopted and adapted over time to fit the needs of cultural groups that are evolving over time, but desire to continue to represent their culture through respected fashion. For example, in the Middle East women have always worn, and continue to wear their hijabs to represent their religion. However, in recent times women are taking advantage of this article of clothing, and using it as an expressive outlet for fashion. The hijab is no longer something women of the Middle East feel obligated to wear, but now they are proud to wear it as it has been coined a symbol of feminism across the world.
In the end, global fashion differences are not noticed until traveling to any extent and removing one’s self from their expected style and means of dressing. If you feel like your world is too small and your style sense needs global innovations, just step out of your comfort zone and explore the unknown. You will not regret it.
-LJ
Thinking Thoughtfully About Threads 