The reason why fashion move in cycles lie deep in human nature. Consequently,thy are applicable to all kinds of commodities and to all industries. Some of us are innovators,always interested in change. We want to be different,we are bored with certain styles, we find a chance for self assertion in a new style. Or we may want style changes for for deeper psychological reasons. Perhaps wearing a new style will attract attention which the individual wants and is unable to get in any other socially approved way. Perhaps the acceptance of a new style is an effort to forget past defeat and disappointments.
The above reasons why new style come into existence also partially explain why these styles are gradually accepted by a large number of people. That is, many people welcome change as a relief from boredom with existing style, as a defence mechnism and in the early stages of the fashion cycle, as a means of differentiating themselves from others. Once a fashion cycle is in progress, man's desire to imitate or emulate and to conform (that is "to go with the crowd") hastens the upswing.
Why does the "decline" phase of the fashion cycle last such a short time? Or put another way,once a style has achieved such a wide acceptance, why does it go out of fashion so quickly? The answer is frequently given by saying that a fashion is something which disappears as soon as most people have one. Underlying such a statement however, is the fact that fashion is really the pursuit of novelty,the very factors which led people to adopt it now lead.
