This collection of articles and essays from magazines, newspapers, books, and academic journals is designed to expand the reader's awareness and understanding of the role dress plays in cultures and subcultures across the globe. The text, which represents the very best thinking and writing on the subject today, explores essential topics such as dress and sociology, cultural studies, gender, religion, modesty, and technological changes. The Meanings of Dress, 3rd Edition, is newly revised to reflect the current cultural landscape and includes more theory than previous editions, as well as an increased emphasis on the male perspective. The book provides design and merchandising students with insight into how—and why—consumers buy clothing and other products related to dress, and helps them to hone their trend forecasting skills. View

The hundred years of fashion from the 1860s to the 1970s was a time when a succession of haute couture designers—most notably, Charles Worth, Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent—were the arbiters of fashion, and their creations the weapon of choice for power-seeking members of the aristocracy and upper class. Fashioning Society explores the ways in which high-fashion designers and their maisons influenced—and were influenced by—the fine arts as well as sociological, technological, philosophical, and political developments. By addressing the question, "What has happened to high-fashion design?" the author discusses what readers should consider when trying to understand and predict long-term trends. View

Everywhere around the world, people make daily decisions about what to wear or how to dress. The Visible Self, 3rd Edition, presents a systematic approach to analyzing daily rituals that we all share—not simply the act of putting on clothing, but also the method of cleansing the body and adorning it. Using Western and non-Western examples, the authors take a three-pronged approach to understanding dress across cultures, uncovering its relationship to human beings as biological, aesthetic, and social animals. Readings collected from classic books and academic journals enable students to appreciate the complexity of dress from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes anthropology, sociology, economics, fine arts, and the natural sciences. View

Understanding the social expectations and meanings associated with dress is critical to a successful career in fashion. Just as critical is familiarity with research techniques to capture the history of fashion trends. Dress and Society fulfills these requirements by presenting a sociological perspective on how people dress and a research perspective on how to develop and appreciate research skills. Analyzing dress as an individual social behavior enables students to draw connections between their own lives and different styles of dress. Concepts such as gender, religion, race, education, cultural norms, and violations of cultural norms are thoroughly discussed. By starting each chapter with a headline from mass media, engaging the students in lively discussion, and presenting research with practical applications, the content becomes enjoyable and memorable for students. View

With Men's Fashion Reader, students of fashion have a resource to help them understand an important, yet sometimes neglected, segment of the apparel industry: menswear. Design and merchandising students learn how and why men buy clothing and how to forecast future trends. Addressing the social, cultural, and psychological phenomenon of men's dress, the readings blend consumer behavior and history to create a better understanding of men's fashion. This book is a must-read for the well-rounded fashionista, designer, merchandiser, or fashion scholar. View

This text examines two important issues: how a new style is born, accepted by fashion leaders and a broader audience of consumers, and then discarded; and what social, economic, and psychological factors cause an individual to adopt or reject a style. The authors discuss the evolution of the concept of fashion, and what methods are used by fashion forecasters to determine consumer behavior. View

This classic text explains and applies the basic elements of design and aesthetics for a variety of apparel professionals. Using her own theory of the Apparel-Body-Construct—the look or appearance of the body, clothing, and accessories as a unit—the author defines aesthetics in the context of understanding how we perceive dress and our reactions to it. View

This valuable collection of readings discusses the relationship between dress and identity. Selections from many disciplines present a thorough examination of subjects, such as textiles and clothing, anthropology, sociology, social psychology, and women's studies. Some writings are classic statements, others are contributions from recently published books and journals. Each of the book's five parts features an introduction that puts entries into context. View