This collection of essays brings together many separate but related issues which form the focus of contemporary research into the history of dress. Historically, in Britain at least, investigations of dress were primarily informed by historical and empirical protocols, although the symbolic meaning of dress was explored by anthroplogists and sociologists, who tended to concentrate on either non-Western cultures or British or Western sub-cultures. In recent years these approaches have moved closer together partly as a result of the impact of feminism.

A law professor and cultural critic offers an eye-opening exploration of the laws of fashion throughout history, from the middle ages to the present day, examining the canons, mores and customs of clothing rules that we often take for granted

Dress Casual: How College Students Redefined American Style

In this deeply idiosyncratic collaboration between a psychoanalyst and a costume curator, Adam Phillips re-describes dress in terms of anxiety, wish and desire, while Judith Clark's installations raise issues of equivalence with Phillips' definitions and bring garments and other items from the Victoria and Albert Museum's archive to life in unexpected ways. Published in parallel with an Artangel commission at Blythe House, location of the V&A's vast reserve collections, and designed by Studio Frith, The Concise Dictionary of Dress examines the nature of dictionaries, archives and dress curation and adds a stunning visual essay recording two overnight tours through Blythe House by renowned photographer Norbert Schoerner. Phillips' definitions for words commonly associated with fashion and appearance - such as armoured, conformist, essential, provocative - were paired with eleven stations created by Clark on a walk through this vast building, from its rooftop to an underground coal bunker. Here in print, extending beyond the works at Blythe House, Phillips adds more words, more definitions and an overarching essay asking broader questions about what dictionaries are, how we use them and why they matter. Judith Clark herself also presents a written analysis of the Dictionary in response to questions posed anonymously by authorities in fields as varied as cultural theory, fashion history, arts curation and architecture, as well as a comprehensive illustrated catalogue of references used in creating the installations.

That night, Birdie dreamed of dresses-- fluttery floral sundresses... lovely lace sheaths... chic chiffon gowns... In this follow-up to Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes, our favorite pint-sized fashionista is looking forward to a very BIG day--her birthday. But when Birdie tries on her favorite party dress, she realizes that - oh no! - it's too small. Mommy takes her to the boutique, where she tries on dress after dress, but Birdie realizes that none of these gowns will allow her to run and jump, make messes, and eat cake. Only when she takes a trip up to her favorite thinking place, the attic, does she realize that all it takes to find the perfect "Birdie dress" is a little imagination.

A Cultural History of Jewish Dress is the first comprehensive account of Jewish clothing, both profane and sacred, from its origins through to the present day. Fascinating and accessibly written, it will appeal to anybody with an interest in the central role of clothing in defining Jewish identity.

In 1863, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors passed a law that criminalized appearing in public in “a dress not belonging to his or her sex.” Adopted as part of a broader anti-indecency campaign, the cross-dressing law became a flexible tool for policing multiple gender transgressions, facilitating over one hundred arrests before the century’s end. Over forty U.S. cities passed similar laws during this time, yet little is known about their emergence, operations, or effects. Grounded in a wealth of archival material, Arresting Dress traces the career of anti-cross-dressing laws from municipal courtrooms and codebooks to newspaper scandals, vaudevillian theater, freak-show performances, and commercial “slumming tours.” It shows that the law did not simply police normative gender but actively produced it by creating new definitions of gender normality and abnormality. It also tells the story of the tenacity of those who defied the law, spoke out when sentenced, and articulated different gender possibilities.

IT'S TIME TO BUY THE DRESS OF YOUR DREAMS! Every year, Kleinfeld helps more than five thousand brides find the perfect look for the biggest day of their lives. Women from all over the world flock to the famous Brooklyn store to choose from among their vast selection of gowns and take advantage of the expertise of their renowned staff of bridal consultants. This book takes you through every aspect of that unparalleled experience so that when you finally buy your wedding dress, you will be thrilled with your choice. Let the owners of Kleinfeld help you define the style that best suits you -- be it classical, romantic, or contemporary -- and that is most appropriate for the season and setting of the wedding.Their detailed advice covers: WHAT DRESSES ARE BEST FOR SPECIFIC BODY TYPES, INCLUDING SILHOUETTE AND SKIRT LENGTH COLORS, FABRICS, AND DECORATIONS, FROM THE SIMPLEST UNADORNED SILK TO LACE WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS ACCESSORIES -- INCLUDING THE VEIL, SHOES, GLOVES, JEWELRY -- AND UNDERGARMENTS WHAT TO BRING ON YOUR WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING TRIP AND WHETHER OR NOT TO BRING MOM WHAT TO EXPECT AT FITTINGS HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GOWN BEFORE AND AFTER THE WEDDING Whether you're getting married on a beach or in a cathedral, whether you want to look sexy, chic, or like a fairy princess, How to Buy Your Perfect Wedding Dress can help all your dreams come true.

Dressing Global Bodies addresses the complex politics of dress and fashion from a global perspective spanning four centuries, tying the early global to more contemporary times, to reveal clothing practice as a key cultural phenomenon and mechanism of defining one’s identity. This collection of essays explores how garments reflect the hierarchies of value, collective and personal inclinations, religious norms and conversions. Apparel is now recognized for its seminal role in global, colonial and post-colonial engagements and for its role in personal and collective expression. Patterns of exchange and commerce are discussed by contributing authors to analyse powerful and diverse colonial and postcolonial practices. This volume rejects assumptions surrounding a purportedly all-powerful Western metropolitan fashion system and instead aims to emphasize how diverse populations seized agency through the fashioning of dress. Dressing Global Bodies contributes to a growing scholarship considering gender and race, place and politics through the close critical analysis of dress and fashion; it is an indispensable volume for students of history and especially those interested in fashion, textiles, material culture and the body across a wide time frame.

"This book looks at the evolution of fashion history, the changes that have taken place in how and why it is studied and makes a strong case for the significance of public collections, many of which are now at risk." "It is not a traditional history of fashion but a book intended to make the reader think about how the subject has been and is being written about, the collections which are still, in many instances, under-used, and the ways in which knowledge of the subject can be applied to traditional and new methods of study - dress in art, uniformity and disguise, and the theatrical links."--BOOK JACKET.