Even if you say you don't care about fashion and don't dress to make a statement, you are making a statement (that you don't care about fashion).

Why care about fashion?

Most people pay attention to fashion in small doses which is a very healthy way to approach it. They make sure wardrobes are in step with the times and even indulge in a trend or two each season.

A few reasons why fashion is still relevant:

It shows your thinking is modern and flexible (e.g. willing to accept and process new ideas). Fashion has escapist qualities to help you deal with the pressures of the world (For example: your country may be at war, but you've "escaped" by dressing in the season's fluffy ruffles that make you look like you don't have a care in the world). Everything you put on sends a message.

Why are most designer clothes so outrageous?

Fashion has almost nothing to do with good taste: it is a force that is beyond such practical considerations.

The clothes that are presented at the fashion shows are often exaggerations of a theme. Some designers such as John Galliano (Christian Dior) go to great lengths to present extravagant looks that no one in their right mind would wear on the street.

These collections are part marketing (to grab media and consumer interest in a designer line) and part artistic expression.

By the time they reach the stores, most looks are edited by buyers to be saleable (hemlines dropped an inch or two, elements of the original look are put onto more understandable pieces, etc.).