In sociology, a lifestyle is the way a person (or a group) lives. This includes patterns of social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual's attitudes, values or worldview.
Having a specific "lifestyle" implies a conscious or unconscious choice between one set of behaviours and some other sets of behaviours.
The word "lifestyle" apparently first appeared in 1939. (Previous generations may not have needed the concept. The concept is not relevant to a homogeneous society.) Alvin Toffler predicted an explosion of lifestyles ("subcults") as diversity increases in post-industrial societies.
