Frankly, you don't understand fashion. Fashion is not a new industry, nor is it parasitic. It's one of the oldest forms of self-expression and it makes lots of people feel better, not worse. Fitting in is always going to be stressful, but it's stressful because it's so important for social creatures like us. Fashion is simply a tool that helps people fit in. If you figured out a way to fit in that doesn't involve fashion, then power to you, but that doesn't invalidate thousands of years of people enjoying clothes.

I want to know more about this, but I have no clue. No clue if I'm fashionable at all. It's more like "Yes" and "No"

I usually recommend guys start with r/malefashionadvice to learn how to fit in, and then later on you can learn how to stand out. (edit MFA is US-centric but some of the concepts are still universal) It’s hard to fashionably stand out without knowing the fundamentals of constructing a basic outfit and knowing a little bit of fashion heritage, which you’ll learn from that subreddit. Once you’ve been there for a few months and learned all the standard MFA outfits, I’d leave and go in your own direction. People there tend to be a bit sanctimonious and rigid. Instagram and Pinterest are good places to find further inspiration once you have a bit of taste to filter out the garbage.

The fun part starts when you graduate from MFA and start to explore your own style. It’s rewarding to put together a visual identity that feels deeply personal, and then get a complement from another cool-looking stranger when you’re out and about. It feels like that person really likes YOU, and they probably do — and now you have the perfect ice-breaker. It’s just like working out; it’s an investment but there’s cumulative benefits in multiple aspects of your life.

> I do understand the venal emotions of mankind.

Thank you, this is now my new catchphrase!

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