It may be argued that simply by wearing clothing and adorning our bodies every day, each of us participates in a kind of display. Dress is a means by which humans present themselves in society, and for centuries, those at the top of society used dress in ways that displayed their power, status, and leisure. As social structures evolved and changed in the nineteenth century, the display of dress took on a different character. After the French Revolution and with the long-term rise of the middle class, more and more people could participate in the pleasure of conspicuous consumption. The venues for this display were no longer the fixtures of political power – palace and church – but instead, the much more democratic street and store. In addition, fashion became understood as a phenomenon that defined modernity itself.