Status and prestige Clothes can also be a sign of status. It used to be true that you could identify people’s social and economic status by their clothing. You may have seen in certain historical films that the king’s and courtesan’s clothing are quite different from the common people’s clothing. Everybody’s sense of identity includes a feeling of social status or prestige, and the manner of dress is one way by which this can be accomplished.
In India on festivals and important family events people wear clothes that may reflect their social status. However, as more and more stylish clothing become available at reasonable prices, today many more young people can afford to buy them. Thus, as similar kinds of clothing (T-shirt, jeans, salwar-kurta) become available for all ages and economic levels, these also serve as social class levellers, a step towards social equity in a democratic society.