A fashion statement is an event during which a person or group of people wear either a specific article of clothing or an entire outfit that somehow stands out and grabs the attention of onlookers. For example, a very new trend in fashion that has not yet caught on may be called a "fashion statement" when it is worn in public. It is common for a fashion statement to ferry in a new trend or to fly in the face of current trends in fashion.
It is quite common for celebrities to make fashion statements with their clothing. When Dennis Rodman showed up to an event scheduled to support his autobiography while wearing a wedding dress, he was making a very shocking fashion statement. Madonna, who is reported to have had a relationship with Dennis Rodman, has made quite a few fashion statements of her own. One notable Madonna fashion statement was the cone-shaped bra attached to a corset that she wore during her Blonde Ambition tour in the early 1990s.
In addition to simply wearing unusual or shocking garments, a fashion statement can also be political statement or represent the wearer's feelings about a certain social issue. In fact, many of these kinds of fashion statements are much more understated than the examples above. Someone who cares very much for the environment might, for example, prefer to wear clothing made from recycled material. A person who prefers not to use animal products may wear belts, shoes, and carry bags or satchels that are made out of leather alternatives. Although these sorts of fashion choices may not be as shocking as a famous basketball player making a public appearance in a blond wig and white wedding dress, they are fashion statements nonetheless.
One of the clearest fashion statements is one in which a person simply wears an item of clothing that includes a phrase or sentence that specifically defines one's feelings about a certain social or political issue. These statements are most commonly worn on the front of T-shirts but may also be worn on the backs of T-shirts, sweat shirts, or jackets. Such statements are made by both celebrities and people who live outside of the public eye. The musician Sheryl Crow, for example, wore a T-shirt with the words "War Is Not The Answer" emblazoned in black sequins to an American Music Awards ceremony in response to the war in Iraq.