Why are so many of us walking billboards for companies?

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In the malls and on the sidewalks - everywhere I look it seems, people are wearing tshirts and polo shirts and jeans and hats with big, glaring labels of various companies. Like Abercrombie shirts, or Hillfiger, or Fubu. People search out these items, pay too much for them, and then turn thier body into a walking billboard. The hats too - CAT - I see that one a lot. Why would you want to advertise for CAT?

Its really bad when you go into a WalMart or SuperK and see what they're selling there. "Property of Coca Cola" Man, that's not just free advertising for coke, that's some serious devotion, (PROPERTY???).

"Hey, nice Bugle Boy shirt dude. Mine says Levi Strauss."

When did fashion for the masses become a source of advertising for corporations? Shouldn't they be paying us to wear this stuff?

(edit: not judging anyone who owns this kind of clothing - I'm not guilt free there myself. Hell, its hard to find clothes without the advertisements on them)