Have you heard of Charles Frederick Worth? You probably haven’t. But thanks to this Englishman who made a home in France, he ultimately paved the road for other luxury clothing houses such as Gucci, Burberry, and Louis Vuitton, just to name a few. So how did the man known as the founding father of “House of Worth” do it, you ask? No other way than by simply sewing his name or “label” onto his garments, of course! From there, haute couture garments made its’ way into the Second French Empire, outfitting royals and noble men and women of the 19th century in luxe outfits. You may recognize his design of French dresses that are heavily accessorized with layers upon layers of skirting.

Ever since then, every step toward modernization seemed to have one defining clothing item! There was the modest yet ever-so-popular “swing dress” of the 50s, the baby doll dress from the Second Wave of Feminism of the 60s, disco-groovy 70s with the bell-bottoms, rock-and-roll 80s with the shoulder pads and leather jackets and finally the high-cut, V-chip swimsuit of the 90s.

Fast forward to the 21st century, these were incredibly memorable pieces and styles that are often brought back into the current trend, recycled and reimagined for the style-savvy women and men of our era.

As time would have it, fashion is one of the most popular forms of artistic self-expression; with divas such as Cher, Madonna, Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga leading the eccentric styles. The evolution of style boiled down to those unforgettable moments. WHO could ever ignore Madonna’s iconic and controversial cone-bra costume reveal at her concert or Lady Gaga’s dress at the MTV Video Music Awards made from 40 pounds of red meat? For those who are more conscious about looking great while staying relevant, the younger trendy ladies often look up to the Kar-Jenner clan for sensual or street inspiration! The sisters never fall far from the limelight for striking up a pose in a beautiful dress or a distinctive look.

And whether you are aware of it or not, you most definitely have a sense of defining a style that is unique only to you. It could be your signature all-black look, your signature eyeliner or even those boots you wear oh-so-often! But of course, it’s not always about the outside. While you’re working on your inner self; let it be reading, writing, yoga, or even hiking up nameless trails in the forest, don’t forget that an accessory or two never hurt anyone.

As the saying goes (from the classic comedy, the White Chicks):

“Geez, lady! All that for a bag?”

“It’s not JUST a bag. It’s PRADA”