## TL;DR

Fashion reflects culture, technology, and social change through clothing. Key shifts: ancient draped garments → tailored medieval → Renaissance opulence → Industrial Revolution mass production → 20th century rapid cycles → fast fashion (1990s+) → sustainable fashion (2020s+). Haute couture (Paris, 1858, Worth) set luxury standards.

## Core Explanation

1920s: flapper dresses (shorter hemlines, looser). 1947: Dior's 'New Look' (wasp waist, full skirt). 1960s: miniskirt (Mary Quant). 1980s: power dressing (shoulder pads). Coco Chanel: little black dress, Chanel suit, 'fashion changes, style endures.' Fast fashion: Zara (new designs weekly), environmental criticism. Sustainable: secondhand (Depop, ThredUp), circular, slow fashion.

## Further Reading

- [Fashion: The Definitive History of Costume and Style (DK)](https://www.dk.com/us/book/9780756698355-fashion/)