The document discusses the history of clothing and dress. It covers some of the basic motivations for wearing clothes such as protection, status, and modesty. It then discusses key themes in the historical study of dress including social roles and gender, social class structure, politics, economics, technology, and cross-cultural influences. It provides examples of how clothing has been influenced by different cultures coming into contact and exchanging styles.

1. C H A P T E R O N E INTRODUCTION

2. Clothing has existed since prehistoric times. Why do people wear clothes? Protection Status Modesty Decoration

3. Decoration seems to be the most basic motivation for dress.

5. Dress can be divided between draped and tailored clothing.

6. Draped clothing is made from woven lengths of cloth, loosely fitted, good for warm climates.

7. Tailored clothing is cut and sewn, is close-fitting, and is good for cool climates.

8. There are also clothes that combine draping and tailoring.

10. Social mores and customs may limit or expand clothing choices

11. In the study of historic costume, there are underlying themes related to dress A theme is “a recurring or unifying subject or idea.” (Webster 1988)

12. Some themes that appear throughout the study of the history of dress include:

13. Social Life, Social Class Structure, and Social Roles, Including Those Related to Gender

14. Changes and/or patterns in social behavior — what we might refer to as “lifestyles”

15. The function of dress in the social context can include:

16. Designation of gender differences

17. Designation of status

18. Identification of group membership

19. Ceremonial use of clothing President Grover Cleveland’s wedding as reproduced in Harper’s Weekly

20. Certain themes grow out of the historical context, such as:

21. Politics: Leaders as Style Setters

22. Politics: War and Conflict as Style Setters c. 1250 c. 1370 c. 1580

23. Economics: The trade of textiles and apparel

24. Technology: The production of textiles and apparel Massachusetts Textile Mill Worker

25. Communication: The dissemination of styles

26. CROSS-CULTURAL INFLUENCES IN DRESS As cultures come into contact, there is a reciprocal exchange of new ideas, resulting in styles that are MIXTURES, and a process called CULTURAL AUTHENTICATION

27. Mixtures are styles that incorporate components from several cultures The cheongsam combines traditional elements with Western cut and fit.

28. Cultural Authentication is the process “whereby elements of dress of one culture are incorporated into the dress of another.” Usually the culturally authenticated style is changed in some way. Only rarely are entire garments adopted. Erekosima and Eicher (1981) Dashiki

29. Geographic location, the natural environment, and ecology (the relationship of humans to their physical environment) may emerge as themes that are evident in dress.

30. Clothing is considered by some to be an art form Isabella Clara Eugenia, Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Austria and Burgundy, Princess of Belgium.

31. As an art form, it can be said to grow out of the ZEITGEIST . Zeitgeist, a German word, describes the complex mixture of social, psychological, and aesthetic factors often called the “spirit of the times.”

32. Influenced by the Zeitgeist or spirit of the times, different art forms from the same era may display similar qualities.

33. Themes related to clothing as an art form include:

34. The relationship between costume of a particular era and developments in the fine and applied arts.

35. Individual artists and designers, such as Gabrielle Chanel, contribute to the view of costume as art.

36. Revival of interest in earlier styles

37. Where does fashion fit into this exploration of dress? What is Fashion?

38. Fashion is a taste shared by many for a short period of time. Fashion is evident in many aspects of life.

39. A complex technological system has developed in the modern world that facilitates: Design Manufacture Distribution Thereby making it possible for men and women of all incomes to follow current fashions

42. Click on the “@” button to view live feed from QVC. Technology: Distribution and Communication