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Fashion, Culture, and Identity
What do our clothes say about who we are or who we think we are? How does the way we dress communicate messages about our identity? Is the desire to be "in fashion" universal, or is it unique to Western culture? How do fashions change? These are just a few of the intriguing questions Fred Davis sets out to answer in this provocative look at what we do with our clothes—and what they can do to us.
Much of what we assume to be individual preference, Davis shows, really reflects deeper social and cultural forces. Ours is an ambivalent social world, characterized by tensions over gender roles, social status, and the expression of sexuality. Predicting what people will wear becomes a risky gamble when the link between private self and public persona can be so unstable.
Much of what we assume to be individual preference, Davis shows, really reflects deeper social and cultural forces. Ours is an ambivalent social world, characterized by tensions over gender roles, social status, and the expression of sexuality. Predicting what people will wear becomes a risky gamble when the link between private self and public persona can be so unstable.
233 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 2, 2023
Serves as a good introductory book on the subject. However, it could have been more comprehensive in its exploration of the overall themes.
One of its compelling arguments is the communicative aspect of fashion beyond the Marxist lens of it being only a reflection of class differentiation. Though, I would argue that fashion trends being "trickle-down" from the upperclass to the masses go hand-in-hand with fashion leadership today, as influential social media personalities and celebrities are more often than not well-off themselves. As this book was written over three decades ago, it's interesting to compare the changes in the past to the ones happening now. For example, the emancipation of women has made it so that they are able to wear "masculine" clothes without much prejudice; today, I see a similar gradual acceptance of feminine elements in men's clothing (accessories, pastels, etc.) which may be indicative of another cultural shift. There are many insights to be gained from the book, but it is quite short and insufficient in accounting for such a broad subject as the intersection of fashion, culture and identity.
Some random facts I've saved while reading:
• Denim stands for hard work but also democracy and idealism; and thus appeals to people of different classes. I find it amusing that rich people used to pay larger prices for distressed or worn-out jeans.
• Nudism extinguishes eroticism, as sexual tension is found in the contrast of concealment and vulgarity (unbuttoned buttons at the bosom, see-through meshes, etc.)
• Runways only had few "genuine" entries, some looks were added to give the collection depth, and many were exaggerated versions of looks they would release for sale.
• The dependency of fashion and antifashion on each other
One of its compelling arguments is the communicative aspect of fashion beyond the Marxist lens of it being only a reflection of class differentiation. Though, I would argue that fashion trends being "trickle-down" from the upperclass to the masses go hand-in-hand with fashion leadership today, as influential social media personalities and celebrities are more often than not well-off themselves. As this book was written over three decades ago, it's interesting to compare the changes in the past to the ones happening now. For example, the emancipation of women has made it so that they are able to wear "masculine" clothes without much prejudice; today, I see a similar gradual acceptance of feminine elements in men's clothing (accessories, pastels, etc.) which may be indicative of another cultural shift. There are many insights to be gained from the book, but it is quite short and insufficient in accounting for such a broad subject as the intersection of fashion, culture and identity.
Some random facts I've saved while reading:
• Denim stands for hard work but also democracy and idealism; and thus appeals to people of different classes. I find it amusing that rich people used to pay larger prices for distressed or worn-out jeans.
• Nudism extinguishes eroticism, as sexual tension is found in the contrast of concealment and vulgarity (unbuttoned buttons at the bosom, see-through meshes, etc.)
• Runways only had few "genuine" entries, some looks were added to give the collection depth, and many were exaggerated versions of looks they would release for sale.
• The dependency of fashion and antifashion on each other
September 26, 2018
Thick academic language made this book very hard to read. The author took an interesting subject and made it inaccessible. It was frustratingly difficult to penetrate the language barrier in this book. :-/
I quickly started skimming the book and eventually gave up before finishing. I think the author had some interesting analysis, but it was rendered inaccessible by his writing style.
I quickly started skimming the book and eventually gave up before finishing. I think the author had some interesting analysis, but it was rendered inaccessible by his writing style.
May 28, 2026
Me gusto bastante creo que fue un muy buen estudio a la sociología de la moda y su ciclo 💆♀️ y aunque en algunas partes se puede sentir un poco outdated (no puedo esperar new news de un libro de hace más de 30 años) las bases siguen siendo las mismas y la información que da es on point (saque como 30 libros de las referencias para mi tbr)
November 21, 2018
Hard to read but extremely worth it! Great academic book!!!!!
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September 19, 2020read
September 27, 2024
Very interesting, but dated and waaaaaay too scholastic
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews