The Dress Detective: A Practical Guide to Object-Based Research in Fashion

by Ingrid E. Mida, Alexandra Kim

The Dress Detective is the first practical guide to analysing fashion objects, clearly demonstrating how their close analysis can enhance and enrich interdisciplinary research. This accessible book provides readers with the tools to uncover the hidden stories in garments, setting out a carefully developed research methodology specific to dress, and providing easy to use checklists that guide the reader through the process. Beautifully illustrated, the book contains seven case studies of fashionable Western garments – ranging from an 1820s coat to a 2004 Kenzo jacket – that articulate the methodological framework for the process, illustrate the use of the checklists, and show how evidence from the garment itself can be used to corroborate theories of dress or fashion. This book outlines a skillset that has, until now, typically been passed on informally. Written in plain language, this book will give any budding fashion historian, curator or researcher the knowledge and confidence to analyse the material in front of them effectively.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, History, Fashion History, Reference, Sewing, Costume History

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 2015

Reviews

[Rachel Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can we just talk about The Dress Detective: A Practical Guide to Object-Based Research in Fashion? This book, released in 2015 by curators, scholars, and historians Ingrid Mida and Alexandra Kim, is so far up my alley it might actually be in my courtyard. I read this thing like a page-turning novel.

Simply put, this book is a guide for analyzing historical garments for scholarly research. Whether your purpose in doing so is within the context of a larger project, or if the analysis itself is the end in and of itself, Mida and Kim outline a practical three-pronged approach involving observation, reflection, and interpretation. They've included checklists in their appendices and detailed explanations for how to use them as tools to aid in a garment analysis, which demystify the process of object-based research.

Seven case studies using extant archival garments are incorporated as well, which serve as practical examples of how the methodology can be deployed to serve various researchers' means/goals. I loved reading these chapters, not only for their value as working examples of analytical process, but also for the minutiae of object detail: the dimensions and documentaion of a hidden watch pocket in a working-class woman's bodice, or the potential reasoning behind the stitching up of a pocket in a beautifully-decorated pelisse.

I should note that if you are seeking practical guidance about artifact storage--sourcing archival/acid free containers, collection database development, safe handling practices, etc--this guide does not address any of that. Still, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about the book as a whole because it's such a concise, clear handbook for a range of readers--whether you are connected to an archive/costume stock/storage collection or are a scholar visiting one as part of your research, this will help you organize your thoughts about the garments from antiquity which have survived.

[E2d2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid example of how to read the physicality of a garment to understand what it is and extrapolate how it was worn in what kind of contexts.

[Vera Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

was voor school

[Haylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lists provided at the end of the chapters (like the formal analysis checklist), are incredibly helpful for object based research. I've personally used two of the lists for my own specific fashion research and they are effective in getting you to really dig deep about an object. However, I find Kim and Mida's interpretation and reorganization of Jules Prown's object research method to be unnecessary.
Their new categories just seem to be subsets of Jules Prown's.
For example, Prown uses Description, Speculation, and Deduction. Comparatively, Kim and Mida suggest Observation, Reflection, and Interpretation. To me, these all seem to be things you do within the three sections as stated by Prown. You would already be observing as you are describing, you would be reflecting as you are speculating, and so on and so forth. So that section doesn't seem necessary to me. I think Prown as effectively covered that. However, I did enjoy the book for helping organize myself and my research for in depth direct object based analysis.

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written, thoughtful book on examining garments. This is going to be really useful for my PhD methodology, so I’m glad I’ve read it. If you’re interesting in studying garments as a part of your own research (or for fun) this is definitely a great place to start your research!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit this was a quick, recreational read rather than an in-depth tutorial but I really enjoyed the tips and analyses in this book.

[Ella]

Read for THE154: Reading Dress.

[Sar · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title, incredibly practical and thorough without being overwhelming.

[grace :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

textbook for my historical fashion class!