Why Do We Wear Clothes? – YouTube. this guy gives a really unique take on why clothes are invented by humans and no other species.
there is the usual reasons for clothes, to protect against the cold, the sun, etc. that alone is a good reason for clothes.
he did not mention clothing can give authority and status , a form of camouflage,so it is useful for a social animal like us to allow us to regulate society so that people can live together in harmony. it is part of the social evolution of humans and i think it plays a part in the whole evolution of social rules and laws.
i would think fashion is another form of expression, or camouflage for status as well as a form of group cohesion and identity.
people might say but what about primitive societies, they have no clothes… but they have tattoos, and penis gourds whose length can act as status indicators.
nudists may not like his explanation, or for that matter, that clothes exists, but the fact that clothes have persisted suggests that it is a very crucial construct amongst us humans. it means that nudists will never convert humans back to nakedness.
i like the naked lifestyle myself, but even i can see it has its drawbacks especially for us who live in cold climates.
the author suggests that embarrassment and shame are social constructs to guide how people behave so that they can live together as a society.