Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity

by Elizabeth Wilson

Overview

When "Adorned in Dreams" was first published in 1985, Angela Carter described the book as 'the best I have read on the subject, bar none'. Elizabeth Wilson traces the social and cultural history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. Wilson delights in the power of fashion to mark out identity or to subvert it and 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 Beck's pink-varnished toenails.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350161993
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/20/2020
Pages:	344
Sales rank:	858,621
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.71(d)

About 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'.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
• Foreword
• Introduction
• The History of Fashion
• Explaining it Away
• The Fashion Industry
• Fashion and Eroticism
• Gender and Identity
• Fashion and City Life
• Fashion and Popular Culture
• Oppositional Dress
• Utopian Dress and Dress Reform
• Feminism and Fashion
• Changing Times/ Altered States
• References
• Biography
• Index

Editorial Reviews

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

WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women

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

From the Publisher