Is Fashion Frivolous?

On the heels (no pun intended) of New York Fashion Week (Sept. 5–12), I wanted to include a tidbit from The New York Times (subscription required) on an article discussing the differing opinions of what fashion means in our society.
“There is a suggestion that fashion is not an art form or cultural form, but a form of vanity and consumerism,” says Elaine Showalter, the feminist literary critic and a professor emeritus at Princeton, who’s cited in the article. Those are, she adds, dimensions of culture that “intelligent and serious” people are expected to scorn.
Although I think that there is more to life than fashion, what you wear is an expression of who you are. Fashion is also a vital piece of society’s cultural puzzle that includes arts and entertainment, politics, business and so forth that’s fortunately or unfortunately (however you look at it) becoming more and more prevalent. I think what’s most important in navigating the world of fashion is understanding that everyone has a different style and attitude and we should respect that.
I think retailers (Madison retailers included) are addressing the individualism of shopper’s tastes more these days by carrying smaller and more niche designers and opening boutiques that cater to particular tastes (urban/streetwear, upscale prep, college/juniors wear) and so forth.
What do you think?