The Visible Self: Global Perspectives on Dress, Culture, and Society

by Joanne B. Eicher

Everywhere around the world, people make daily decisions about what to wear or how to dress. The Visible Self , 3rd Edition, presents a systematic approach to analyzing daily rituals that we all share―not simply the act of putting on clothing, but also the method of cleansing the body and adorning it. Using Western and non-Western examples, the authors take a three-pronged approach to understanding dress across cultures, uncovering its relationship to human beings as biological, aesthetic, and social animals. Readings collected from classic books and academic journals enable students to appreciate the complexity of dress from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes anthropology, sociology, economics, fine arts, and the natural sciences.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction

496 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1973

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my text for a class I just finished on Cultural Aspects of Clothing. I had no idea fashion was so fascinating and deep; I used to only view it as something frivolous and shallow. It is truly an art form, but also has meaning embedded with each culture and society. Great book, and many thought-provoking side stories from studies done in other countries by various anthropologists, sociologists, etc. Not highly technical, so if you were not in a class and simply wanted to learn about culture and clothing, this would be the book to get!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

[Mina Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the text for a college class on Clothes and Culture, that is, basically, the anthropology of clothes. The class and the book were both very interesting.