storytelling:

Garments are a kind of book that you can wear, telling stories or sending messages within communities whose boundaries are established by the wearer’s look and style. Don’t get it? Its message may not be for you. Or perhaps you read its message loud and clear: go away, get out, back off, stay away from me. Not all fashion is an invitation to approach. A designer can embed secrets in apparel with a pocket, layer, lining, or reference targeted only at the one who knows it’s coming. She can conjure history or current events with fabric and finishing selections; set the tone with color; reach out to others in an attitude of seduction or care with zipper or button placements; imply contexts and experiences via texture, fall, and flow.