One of the most surprising discoveries during my academic tenure was the lack of critical resources addressing the fashion
system as a legitimate object of study. But as a model student, I,
of course, did my research and uncovered some seminal, if
underexposed, tomes with plenty of wisdom and critical insights. I
would like to share them here as my own mini syllabus:
The Fashion System by Roland Barthes
Originally published in French in 1967, this was a theoretical
breakthrough for the renowned semiotician who, in a radical mode,
used fashion, and in particular the language of fashion magazines,
as a case study to analyze a system of signs that was not
linguistically based. At the time it was met with mixed
reviews—some were turned off by the seeming frivolity of the
subject matter, while others recognized his keener engagement with
the every day. One of his prime insights continues to resonate
today: Fashion is a complex code determined by so many social cues,
and it produces not just clothing or an image of women, but an
abstract notion of ‘fashion’ itself—that ever elusive ideal.
Photo: Amazon
Fetish: Fashion, Sex & Power by Valerie Steele
Yes, this title is as juicy as it sounds, but it is also rife with
important revelations. The S&M trend swept through the fall
runways—just check out at all that scintillating lacing and
corsetry at Balmain and Pucci—but there is a deeper psychological
significance at play here. Looking at various subcultures
(including underground S&M) as well as popular figures as
diverse as Catwoman and Mrs. Peel from the '60s hit show The Avengers, Ms. Steele digs deeper beneath the eroticism to explore the power
relations inherent in the fetish culture. Through interviews, case
studies, and anecdotes, she traces a shift in attitudes towards
sexuality that will make you think next time you slip on a pair of
patent leather stilettos.
Related: 15 Books That Changed Women Forever
Photo: Amazon
The Literary Companion To Fashion by Colin McDowell
Penned by one of the world’s foremost fashion historians, this is
an imaginative journey that explores the role of dress in popular
literature. McDowell’s source materials span over 400 years and
includes snippets of literary classics from Ovid to Malcolm X, Mary
Wollstonecraft and Virginia Woolf, to Jean Genet, as well as
contemporary provocateurs like Bret Easton Ellis. In each of these
excerpts, we get a compelling glimpse into the multifaceted roles
that fashion plays in social hierarchies—from the richly coded
function of panniers and décolletage in 18th century France to the
meaning of an Armani suit in power-fueled '80s Manhattan.
Photo: Amazon
Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity by Elizabeth Wilson
The use of fashion as a subversive statement has been part of the
popular imagination since the blooming of the flower children in
the '60s and the advent of punk in the '70s. But Elizabeth
Wilson's insightful analysis explores how dress has always been
a source of cultural contention, from the exclusivity of haute
couture to the brooding undertones of '90s grunge. This is much
more than trend analysis but rather a nuanced examination of the
fine details. Plus, where else are you likely to encounter a
thorough assessment of David Beckham's style evolution in the
era of the metrosexual?
Thank you Elle Magazine US
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