In many countries around the world, not just appearance but also economics, religion and politics play a major part in the people’s choice of outfit or limitations to that choice.

While Iranians are told by their government what to wear in line with the state’s official Islamic religion, Jewish women in Israel struggle to comply with the rules of their orthodox neighbourhoods.

The poor in Kenya, meanwhile, find it hard to afford even underwear, as the cheap markets are banned from the streets of Nairobi.

But clothes can also reflect political change, as Eastern Europeans experienced after the fall of communism, when their countries were suddenly flooded with real and fake designer brands which the newcomers on the global market found hard to distinguish.

Western Europeans, meanwhile, struggle with their image as they have too many choices and find themselves torn between tradition, designer brands and the cheap and cheerful variety.

The dpa international service in English is offering a comprehensive feature package on fashion around the world, looking at some of the factors that determine what to wear and what not to wear.