Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity

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Overview

From haute couture to haberdashery, 'deviant' dress to Dior, Elizabeth Wilson traces the social and cultural history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. She also discusses fashion's vociferous opponents, from the 'dress reform' movement to certain strands of feminism. Wilson delights in the power of fashion to mark out identity or subvert it. This brand new edition of her book follows recent developments to bring the story of fashionable dress up to date, exploring the grunge look inspired by ...
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Overview

From haute couture to haberdashery, 'deviant' dress to Dior, Elizabeth Wilson traces the social and cultural history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. She also discusses fashion's vociferous opponents, from the 'dress reform' movement to certain strands of feminism. Wilson delights in the power of fashion to mark out identity or subvert it. This brand new edition of her book follows recent developments to bring the story of fashionable dress up to date, exploring the grunge look inspired by bands like Nirvana, the 'boho chic' of the mid 90's, retro-dressing, and the meanings of dress from the veil to soccer player David Beckham's pink-varnished toenails.
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Editorial Reviews

WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women
Elizabeth Wilson plays devil's advocate with not so politically correct perspectives about fashion. She goes against the usual feminist notion of dress–that clothing serves as an expression of women's oppression–and explores the multi-cultural, multi-sided richness revealed by clothes. According to Elizabeth, fashion should be viewed as an enchanting aspect of popular culture, not seen soley in regard to gender, status or race. Adorned in Dreams highlights fashion's alluring complexity. Each chapter discusses a different perspective on drss from the history of fashion, through fashion and eroticism, to feninism and fashion. The topics of conversation running throughout this book will surely ruffle a few feathers; precisely why its so intriguing.
—SH
From the Publisher

'Elizabeth Wilson is internationally recognised as an authority on fashion, and this is her masterpiece.' – Valerie Steele

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780813533322
  • Publisher: Rutgers University Press
  • Publication date: 10/1/2003
  • Pages: 328

Meet the Author

Elizabeth Wilson is Emeritus Professor at London Metropolitan University and also teaches at the Architectural Association, the London Institute and Goldsmiths College, University of London. Her books include 'Bohemians' (I.B.Tauris), 'Hallucinations: Life in the Post-modern City' and 'The Sphinx in the City'.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Foreword
Ch. 1 Introduction 1
Ch. 2 The History of Fashion 16
Ch. 3 Explaining It Away 47
Ch. 4 The Fashion Industry 67
Ch. 5 Fashion and Eroticism 91
Ch. 6 Gender and Identity 117
Ch. 7 Fashion and City Life 134
Ch. 8 Fashion and Popular Culture 155
Ch. 9 Oppositional Dress 179
Ch. 10 Utopian Dress and Dress Reform 208
Ch. 11 Feminism and Fashion 228
Ch. 12 Changing Times/Altered States 248
References 278
Bibliography 302
Index 315
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