Why Is Clothing Important?

From the beginning of time, clothing has been a way for human bodies to protect themselves from extreme heat, freezing cold, and rough surfaces in their daily lives. It was a matter of practicality and survival. Cavemen hunted and made clothing from the animals’ skin. They tied it together with strings to form pants, tops, and coverings. Of course, we’re talking about ‘clothing’ from hundreds of thousands of years ago. Today, you could hardly call skin hides ‘clothing.’

The actual invention of clothing didn’t happen until much later. After animal hide, humans discovered cloth from woven fibers. From there, humans invented tools to create cloth from the fibers they discovered. Ultimately, the textile industry was born.

Before sewing machines, humans began weaving, spinning, and using other modalities to bind cloth together. Everything was hand-sewn. It wasn’t until the sewing machine was invented, in 1819 during the Industrial Revolution, that ready-made clothing became available. This is when everything changed and fashion brands, like Brooks Brothers, began their companies.

Today, if someone asks you “Why is Clothing Important,” your answer will be different than someone born before the 1800s. Back then, people used clothing as a way to fit in with everyone else. There were rarely any fashion clothing statements and people didn’t have personal styles. There was way less for people to choose from, too. Trends wren’t predicated on street style, runway shows, or celebrites. (However, the royal families did influence society’s fashion and hairstyle choices). Instead, they were a sign of the times — of war, of social status, of dress code, and of necessity.

For example, women didn’t clean their clothing as much and switched off between a few garments every week. Westerners from the 1700s couldn’t imagine a closet full of clothes or fast fashion retailers. They especially would gasp at the sight of casual clothing or clothing made specifically for one’s body type.

Clothing is important for many reasons. Learn the importance of clothes in 2022, below.

What are the 5 reasons we wear clothes?

We wear clothes for:

• Protection/security

• Good impressions

• Self-expression

• Comfort

• Status

Give Off a Good First Impression

Whether you’re going for a job interview or a first date, impressions are everything. Especially if you work in fashion, your interviewer will want to see your personal clothing choices. It’s also an opportunity to show off your professionalism. If you walk into an interview wearing a gym outfit, you’ll likely not get the job (unless, maybe, you’re interviewing to be a personal trainer at the gym!).

The hard truth is, the type of clothing you wear says a lot about you. People don’t want to admit it but what someone wears can color their vision about a person. If someone is wearing designer clothes, this might be indicative of someone’s social status the same way elaborate wigs and rich embroidery symbolized an important role in the 18th century.

When a person wears something that gives off a good first impression, an interviewer or potential romantic partner will never forget it. “Dressing to impress” is a popular quote for a reason! That doesn’t mean you should how you dress for someone, but there is attire to be worn on different occasions. For special occasions, it’s socially appropriate to wear formal clothing while it’s appropriate to wear swimwear to the beach. Wearing a gown to the beach would not fly the same way wearing beachwear to a wedding would have you kicked out. There is still a ‘dress code’ of sorts like there has been since the beginning of time — but now it’s way more flexible.

Express Yourself Through Personal Style

The fashion industry paved the way for people to express their personality through clothing. What you wear is a reflection of who you are. It’s also a way to have fun and play around with pieces of clothing that aren’t necessarily based on fashion trends. From the time we’re in middle school onto high school and beyond, clothing becomes a way to show people who you really are.

When you put on new clothes, it can raise your confidence and help you stand out. A piece of clothing is more than woven fibers, it can be sentimental and symbolic of something bigger than just material.

Get Loose With Casual Clothing

Before the 1960s, casual clothing was non-existent. Women’s clothing consisted of skirts, dresses, and other forms of formal clothing. Once the 60s’ counterculture rolled around — where women’s rights were on the rise — women began wearing jeans, t-shirts, and loungewear. Women wanted to be comfortable and break free (physically and metaphorically) from their restrictive clothing and lives.

Meanwhile, more fashion designers began showing casual-wear and incorporating these looks into their collections.

Reuse and Recycle Clothing

Clothing is important because it makes a big impact on the environment. Many clothing wearers have taken up sustainability practices to decrease one of the biggest impacts on climate change. People will reuse and recycle clothing in order to increase the lifespan of their clothing. Instead of shopping at fast fashion retailers or following fashion trends, which can be harmful for the environment and for factory workers.

Even if someone rewore clothing, they can still establish a sense of style. There are tons of vintage clothing stores and second-hand clothing stores that promote sustainability and style.

While clothing is important, we have to remember why we started wearing clothing to begin with. It wasn’t an adornment, but rather a necessity. When we think about buying clothes today, it’s not just about protection, it’s also a way of expressing ourselves, being comfortable, and giving a good impression.

Back2Basics by JM clothing is a New Jersey based retailer and online store selling casual-wear and athletic-wear clothing. Just sixty years ago, our clothing store wouldn’t exist. The importance of clothing and why we wear them has changed. Our clothing is made for modern women who are fashion-forward but still want to be cozy. They work, exercise, run errands, and know they don’t need to wear heels all day.