Dressing global bodies : the political power of dress in world history / edited by Beverly Lemire and Giorgio Riello.

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2020.

xiv, 317 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

"Dressing Global Bodies addresses the complex politics of dress and fashion from a global perspective spanning four centuries, tying the early global to more contemporary times, to reveal clothing practice as a key cultural phenomenon and mechanism of defining one's identity. This collection of essays explores how garments reflect the hierarchies of value, collective and personal inclinations, religious norms and conversions. Apparel is now recognized for its seminal role in global, colonial and post-colonial engagements and for its role in personal and collective expression. Patterns of exchange and commerce are discussed by contributing authors to analyse powerful and diverse colonial and postcolonial practices. This volume rejects assumptions surrounding a purportedly all-powerful western metropolitan fashion system and instead aims to emphasise how diverse populations seized agency through the fashioning of dress. Dressing Global Bodies contributes to a growing scholarship considering gender and race, place and politics through the close critical analysis of dress and fashion; it is an indispensable volume for students of history and especially those interested in fashion, textiles, material culture and the body across a wide time frame"-- Provided by publisher.

Political power of dress in world history

English

February 21, 2020

Includes bibliographical references and index.