We often don't think about the history of the clothes we wear. For example, all the shoes we put on our feet today are because of the leather sandals that were worn thousands of years ago. Also, buttons didn't just appear out of thin air, they were invented to replace ribbon ties and cuff links. They were an invention of convenience and now we barely notice them.

Fashion is playing an increasingly important role in our society. It has become a huge economic enterprise. People spend large amounts of money on their clothing each year, and generally these clothes are replaced on a regular basis.

For some people clothes are just pieces of fabric that we use to cover our bodies. But really you don't need laser eye surgery to see that clothing is more than that.

Fashion is about expressing who you are. On any given day you will feel a little bit differently and this will be reflected in what you choose to wear, what colours and garments you choose to wear.

This is not limited to people who shop in designer stores. A perfect example of this is the punk movement or the current emo movement, where people choose to dress in dark, tight clothes held together not by stitches but by safety pins. This is an expression of their identity, not just some clothing.