The Goals of Fashion

I recently inter-library-loaned a book called Medieval Clothing and Costumes, by Margaret Scott. It was actually aimed toward a younger audience, but I found very interesting and informative anyway. I appreciated the author's commentary on medieval fashion (but perfectly applicable to all fashion).

"One theory says that fashion begins when someone designs clothes that are not practical, and people become convinced that by wearing such clothes they can tell the world that they are special and up-to-date, leaders of style and taste. At the same time, being fashionable means looking like everyone else who is fashionable, so you're not so special after all! Then the fashion leaders move on to wearing something else, because they don't want to look like everyone else who has just caught up with them. . .

Isabella and Beatrice [the D'Este sisters] typified the attitude of many noble ladies during the middle ages, who believed that clothing was a form of display used to separate oneself form those of lesser stature, and even within one's own class to display one's superiority and uniqueness. The goals of fashion have not changed much in 500 years."

I find this to be a very good explanation of 'Fashion'. Here, Manolo of the Shoeblog, gives a more modern definition.

". . .This shoe it good because it is on the exact border between the trashy and the classic, where, as the long time readers of the Manolo know, the true fashion lies."

This only makes me more certain that I do not wish to be "fashionable". But I am from the boondocks, so that is only expected of my class, no?