Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade

Timeline history

by Liz Miles

Clothing is a necessity and a fashion statement. Read about the evolution of clothing through the centuries from those made of natural materials obtained by hunting animals to synthetic materials processed by humans.

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Liz Miles is a writer and editor of books for young adults, teens and children. Her work has been sold around the world.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that my reading appreciation and reading joy for Liz Miles' 2010 non-fiction picture book Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade really started to diminish a bit the further I was getting on with her presented text, so that by the end of Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade my original consideration of a four star rating (for the plethora of interesting clothing and fashion nuggets of historical knowledge Liz Miles' is presenting with accompanying pictures and photographs that are complimenting but never visually overwhelming, that Miles textually points out what is fact, what can be proven and what is more speculative regarding the historical realities of clothing, and that Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade also includes both a bibliography and websites) had sadly ended up with only a three star rating.

For while the contents of Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade are interesting, extensively global, educational and go from prehistory to today (well, at least to 2010), considering that Liz Miles is featuring both the positives and the negatives regarding clothing and fashion history, for me, Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade remains much too on the surface and with there hugely needing to be in particular with regard to clothing themed instances of authoritative rules and exploitation more presented details than simply having Liz Miles be pointing these out, and in particular since Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade is textually meant for older children (from about the age of nine or so onwards) who should be able to handle this. I mean, since Liz Miles shows in Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade that there were throughout history multiple draconian rules regarding especially what the poor, what the peasantry were NOT allowed to wear, she should of course also present to her audience that the penalties for individuals daring to dress above their prescribed "station" were often severely punishing (with jail time and even at times the death penalty as consequences).

But no, with regard to sumptuary laws, with regard to textile workers often being exploited (both now and then), and even though the importance of support, justice and decent working conditions and wages for garment workers etc. is mentioned in Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade, it is for me a pretty major academic lack that Liz Miles does not really ever examines any of these problematic clothing and fashion issues indepth (and that yes, if I were to consider Clothes: From Fur to Fair Trade for teaching purposes, I would definitely need to discuss and debate the negatives of clothing more thoroughly than is done by Liz Miles with her informative but a bit too shallow and uncritical printed, featured words).