It’s through time, creativity, and lifestyle where fashion exists as a foundational backbone to who we are as a society. When ran pass the ears of many people the seven-letter word is associated with the likes of intricate detailing and runway shows that showcase the rumbling minds of its designers. Although we have collectively seen clothes and its creators as a creatively taboo subject, it’s through the display of these fabrics (or lack thereof) that we showcase the visual and physical evolution of our periods through time. Simple and largely neglected artifacts of your closet have become a part of the collective scene that is our generation. Observe the difference in your grandmother clothing and your own. Whether it be the difference in cuts of cloth, material, or blatant style, you have witnessed fashion and its evolution and story told by its wearer.

As a society of people, we have scoped so far into the realm of a beauty standard that we have found ourselves neglecting the ability to elevate. Whether it be utilitarian, streetwear, bespoke, luxury, punk, artsy or any of the hundreds of sub-categories within fashion, one overall fact that stands prevalent within all is the lack of diversity and representation. From body type, skin color, and gender, the verge between unrealistic ideals portrayed by the media has warped the ability for some to consume fashion as an enjoyable experience. Because of fashion’s ability to portray a message about its wear and designer, is the lack of diversity within it speak volumes about our current socio-political period? Chelsea Benton, junior, spoke about her feelings on the lack of diversity in fashion:

“Fashion as we know it today is a false image. Even though the clothes you see are real, the people aren’t. In fashion, true bodies and features are not shown, yet they are hidden. They hide the raw truth because they are afraid for the reaction from the viewers. Yes, the fashion industry is gaining variety, but there is a long way to go.”

Even as we venture forward through the age of modernization it would speak louder through our scope of time that we continue to push for more inclusion within the boundaries of our generation. Although bound by time, creativity, and lifestyle, the artform that drapes our bodies will never be bound by the essence, aura, and time they captivate within our closets.