I’m not sure this is accurate.

Fashion is using the tools you find (ie clothing, accessories, shoes) to make a statement or an aesthetic which suits you and perhaps impresses others (if you care to), being resourceful with your findings to create art on your own body with cloth.

Despite my aesthetic not being seen in the greater public, mine is still considered fashion. I dress like an android, with sharp angles and unusual, attention-grabbing cuts, and most folks out there are on the same jeans-and-hoodie look from fifteen years ago (which isn’t bad, it’s an old standby for a reason).

Fashion is however you present yourself, provided it was done with mindfulness and attention.

I always saw fashion as art. I've always understood it as something to be communicated.

Intentionally tight clothing is like bad art to me. Form fitting clothing that has an interesting aesthetic? That's good art.

T-shirt and jeans? Working class art.

Commercial Fashion and people who follow it yeah sure... But there's also DIY fashion, and people not following what's popular.

So it's like saying "Music is just listening to popular people telling you what tacks to listen to".

...on one level yes, on most others no.

Others.have already mentioned art. I also see fashion as a way to make me feel more confident about myself. If I feel like I look good, it adds to the messages I'm sharing with the people I interact with

Most social mammals mirror the behaviour of high status individuals.

That's why i think celebrity endorsements should be illegal, it's basically abusing an exploit, a known flaw in how our brains work that routinely leads to sub-optimal decision making.

just specify that you're talking about the fashion industry, and avoid the discussion going sideways

Yeah, I should've made that clear from the start.

Congrats, OP. You're on you're way to wokelightenment.

Next, let's examine beauty and attraction.

I don't know what that means.

I don't think fashion is just one thing. You're not going to find anyone promoting the way I'm dressing but I dress that way for a reason and it's still a fashion choice. You could say I'm counter-signaling for intentionally not following current trends but that's still just a different version of the same thing.

I'd say that a more accurate statement would be: "Following current fashion is wearing what you think others expect you to wear"