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Uniforms
Look around and uniforms are everywhere. They're a way of belonging and of making people belong. Armies, police forces, and militias led the way, but today they're used by a new generation of service industries, from security guards to delivery firms. Subconsciously, uniforms oil the wheels of the world. We accept orders from a uniformed guard, respect the diagnosis of a doctor or nurse, and feel better about entrusting that important package to a uniformed private delivery company operative. Uniforms inspire trust, respect, and sometimes even fear.
This book traces the rise of the uniform in pictures up to the present day, from early military uniforms and on to the Second World War, from which a lot of uniform items made it through into civilian life, coinciding with the birth of the teenage phenomenon in the 1950s. It examines the different ways in which the uniform is as a means of control, of morale building, and of self-expression.
Featuring uniforms from all walks of lifemilitary, school, sports teams, and workwearthe book examineshow fashion has been influenced by uniform design and how fashion has, in turn, been reinterpreted by uniform designers.
This book traces the rise of the uniform in pictures up to the present day, from early military uniforms and on to the Second World War, from which a lot of uniform items made it through into civilian life, coinciding with the birth of the teenage phenomenon in the 1950s. It examines the different ways in which the uniform is as a means of control, of morale building, and of self-expression.
Featuring uniforms from all walks of lifemilitary, school, sports teams, and workwearthe book examineshow fashion has been influenced by uniform design and how fashion has, in turn, been reinterpreted by uniform designers.
- GenresNonfiction
267 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 17, 2018
This is a hard book to rate. The photographic examples of uniforms are interesting and often accompanied with a wry sense of humour in the captions. The written part of the book other than the captions seemed to lack detail or focus.
It covers a lot of various uniforms but it would be near impossible to create a comprehensive list of uniforms. I did learn a bit about the origins of some uniforms but there also was a lot of speculation about others. The last chapter on potential future uniforms could have been skipped altogether. It basically was a recap of past television and movie uniforms and offered nothing new to the book.
For me this was an uneven read and one that could be expanded upon and improved. I would find it hard to recommend it to anyone as it lacks the detail needed for a recommendation.
It covers a lot of various uniforms but it would be near impossible to create a comprehensive list of uniforms. I did learn a bit about the origins of some uniforms but there also was a lot of speculation about others. The last chapter on potential future uniforms could have been skipped altogether. It basically was a recap of past television and movie uniforms and offered nothing new to the book.
For me this was an uneven read and one that could be expanded upon and improved. I would find it hard to recommend it to anyone as it lacks the detail needed for a recommendation.
Displaying 1 of 1 review