Smart clothes also showing status (8)
I believe the answer is:
standing
'status' is the definition.
(standing is a kind of status)
'smart clothes also' is the wordplay.
'smart' becomes 'sting' (stinging is a kind of smarting**).
'clothes' is an insertion indicator.
'also' becomes 'and' (I've seen this before).
'sting' enclosing 'and' is 'STANDING'.
'showing' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for standing that I've seen before include "(Of corn) not yet reaped" , "type of committee" , "Upright" , "Being a candidate - status" , "Position or reputation" .)