Fashion is something which influences a great number of people’s clothing choices from year to year. Some have no interest whatsoever, whereas others will not stop until their wardrobe is filled with the season’s top garments. Fashion has existed in many areas of life for a considerable amount of time, so is by no means new. Fashion designers seek to create new pieces however, pushing the boundaries to create distinctive and sometimes controversial concepts. As top designers are sometimes out of the price range of potential customers, large numbers of stores create similar looking items which are affordable, enabling more people to enjoy new trends.

Fashion journalists tend to either love or hate garments, and can be very influential on public perception of a particular style or design. Those who are very interested in being fashionable will tend to keep a close eye on fashion magazines for up to date information and to see the reception of new looks. People often look back at the popular fashions of past decades with some embarrassment. The 80s look is a good example – currently associated with poor taste and big hair! Fashion, however, can be cyclical. A number of older looks are currently regaining popularity; these looks are often referred to as retro.

Even those who love fashion will stop short of certain trends.The way in which people, especially women, are portrayed by the media tends to champion an unusual and often unhealthy body type, leading to young girls everywhere suffering from low self esteem and even eating disorders. Due to differences in appearance and low confidence, it is unusual to find people outside of the modelling, music or movie scene wearing leotards as a fashion statement. The sad truth is that even girls and women who put an awful lot of effort into achieving what they believe to be an ‘ideal’ look, they would still be too lacking in confidence to wear garments such as leotards.

Most high street and online stores selling the fashionable look to everyday people recognise that the majority of women are not built like models. There are all kinds of trends in existence at any given time, for people with alternative tastes, and for those who wish to just be a bit more covered up than celebrity singers wearing leotards! Items such as jeans and trousers, long skirts and more baggy tops are always to be found. Leotards, there is no doubt, can look great, and are used all over the world by dancers and gymnasts of all kinds, proof of their great flexibility.