Fashion : critical and primary sources /

As McNeil notes in his preface, fashion history is a complicated field of study. It has changed from a mostly descriptive accounting of what clothes looked like at a particular place and time to a more theoretically oriented cultural approach that seeks to uncover the social meaning of fashion, but it also encompasses more practical issues of production and the constraints of the marketplace. Because the subject is so difficult to compress, an edited collection proves to be an effective approach, allowing a multiplicity of perspectives and emphases. This broad range of essays begins with the "invention" of fashion in the Middle Ages and carries through to the present. There are certain limitations; most of the articles concern Western dress, for example, and despite the series title, critical sources far outweigh primary sources. Within these parameters, however, McNeil has chosen a broad range of excellent sources and arranged them both chronologically and thematically. The individual essays are fascinating, touching on issues as diverse as the role of fashion in literature, the political implications of fashion, the gendering of fashion, and the selling of fashion. The helpful introductions and the thematic groupings help provide structure for what might otherwise be an overwhelming welter of information. The primary sources, while not extensive, are well chosen and complement the secondary literature. This excellent, accessible introduction to many of the most important trends in modern fashion studies will serve as an invaluable research tool for students just starting in the field. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. R. A. Standish San Joaquin Delta College