Understanding the History and Cultural Significance of Western Dress - Prof. Stephanie R. , Study notes of History of Art

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Descriptive Dress Histories
Definition: Collections of costume plates with written commentary
Ex: History of World Costume and Fashion by Daniel Delis Hill
Ex: 20,000 Years of Fashion

Dress Culture and Society
What is culture?
Human-made material items and patterns thought, feeling and behavior shared by members of a group who regularly interact with each other.
-Material Culture
Ex: Blue Jeans
-Non-Material Culture
Ex: Democracy
Culture is Dynamic
-Culture is constantly shifting and changing
Ex: Population Growth
Ex: Internal Conflict
Ex: Assimilation
It is possible and quite common for people to belong to more than one culture.
What is society?
A group of individuals who interact with one another based on the sharing of many beliefs and ways of behavior.
-Societies are dynamic and interconnected.
What is social status?
Describes an individual’s position or membership in any size society and in various social groups.
-Ascribed
Ex: Gender
-Achieved
Ex: Medical Doctor, Prison Inmate (Achieved Status)

Globalization

Ethnic Dress
Regional dress and national costume/
-All dress has regional specificity
-Political borders constantly changing
-Ethnic groups not limited by national borders
Folk dress and traditional dress/
-Implies no change over time
-Ignores cross-cultural influences
Ethnicity: heritage of a group of people with a common cultural background.

World Dress
Similar types of body supplements and modifications worn by many people in various parts of the world no matter where the people or the dress originated.
Style, color, print, context often vary
Cultural Authentication: process by which members of a cultural group incorporate foreign cultural items and make them their own
-Selection
-Characterization
-Incorporation
-Transformation
“All contemporary styles of dress are the consequences of a complex history in which internal and external forces of change have selectively shaped the form.” Malnutrition and Disease If nutrition or disease alters body in ways considered culturally negative, individuals may make change in dress. -Create illusion of preferred body type -Mask effects of disease Dress & Environment Everest: The Death Zone


09/19/2011
09/19/2011