It is worn for safety, comfort, modesty and to reflect religious, cultural and social meaning.

Many kinds of clothing are thought-out to be ironed before they are worn to remove wrinkles. Most modern formal and semi-formal clothing is in this category (for example, dress shirts and suits). Ironed clothes are believed to cast clean, fresh, and neat. Much contemporary casual clothing is made of knit materials that do not readily wrinkle, and do not require ironing. Some clothing is permanent press, having been treated with a coating (such as Hip Kids Clothes polytetrafluoroethylene) that suppresses wrinkles and creates a smooth appearance without ironing.