Dress Codes: Meanings and Messages in American Culture PDF
Preview Dress Codes: Meanings and Messages in American Culture
SOCIOLOGY R u b i n Praise for previous edition: s t e i “Ruth Rubinstein’s Dress Codesrepresents scholarship of the first order, showing in n substantive detail how clothing is not merely a reflection of society but instead is intrinsic to its institutions. There is a great deal to learn from this book, and its chore- ography of historic, cultural, and sociological analyses makes it a joy to read.” —David R. Maines, Wayne State University DD “This is an excellent study of the way in which clothing codes self and identity as they are constituted and presented in interaction. It has both historical depth and RR sociological insight and analysis, and I am sure it would be of great interest to both scholars as well as students in classes in social psychology.” EE —R. S. Perinbanayagam, Hunter College SS “Using Rubinstein’s historical and contemporary examples, one realizes that apparel— SS our most socializing visual art and our most socialized art—reveals self, set, and society with a remarkable clarity. Rubinstein’s sociologically framed looking glass shows many trenchant examples from court attire to codpieces to sansculottes in CC dress history as well as more recent examples of red ribbons for AIDS awareness, gym shoes of heroic associations, and modern tattoos. Rubinstein’s reflections on OO demeanor and dress are fascinating.” Second —Richard Martin, Curator, DD The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Edition EE Rich with illustrations, this revised and updated second edition of Dress Codes sys- tematically analyzes the meaning and relevance of clothing in American culture. Presented here is an up-to-date analysis of images of power and authority, gender, SS seduction (the sexy look, the alluring look, the glamorous look, the vulnerable look), wealth and beauty, youth and health, and leisure and political hierarchy. Taken together, the chapters offer to the student and the general reader a complete “semi- otics of clothing” in a form that is highly readable, very entertaining, and thoroughly informative. The illustrations provide fascinating glimpses into the history of American fashion and clothing—along with their antecedents in Europe—as well as a fine collection of images from the more familiar world of contemporary America. Written in a lively and entertaining style, Dress Codeswill fascinate both general readers and students interested in the history of fashion and costume, fashion MMeeaanniinnggss Second design, human development, and gender studies. Edition Ruth P. Rubinsteinis professor of sociology at the Fashion Institute of Technology. aanndd MMeessssaaggeess iinn AAmmeerriiccaann CCuullttuurree Westview Press ISBN 0-8133-6795-6 5500 Central Avenue • Boulder, Colorado 80301-2877 ,!7IA8B3-dghjfi!:t;K;k;K;k RRuutthh PP.. RRuubbiinnsstteeiinn 12 Hid’s Copse Road • Cumnor Hill • Oxford OX2 9JJ www.westviewpress.com Cover design: Larry Wilson 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page i Dress Codes 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page ii 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page iii Dress Codes Meanings and Messages in American Culture second edition Ruth P. Rubinstein Fashion Institute of Technology A Member of the Perseus Books Group 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page iv To my son Jonathn, with many thanks and my very best wishes All rights reserved.Printed in the United States ofAmerica.No part ofthis publication may be repro- duced or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical,including photocopy, recording,or any information storage and retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright © 2001 by Westview Press,A Member ofthe Perseus Books Group Published in 2001 in the United States ofAmerica by Westview Press,5500 Central Avenue,Boulder, Colorado 80301-2877,and in the United Kingdom by Westview Press,12 Hid’s Copse Road,Cumnor Hill,Oxford OX2 9JJ Find us on the World Wide Web at www.westviewpress.com Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rubinstein,Ruth P. Dress codes :meanings and messages in American culture / Ruth P.Rubinstein.—2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN0-8133-6795-6 1.Costume—United States—Social aspects. 2.Costume—United States —History. 3. Body,Human—United States—Social aspects. I.Title. GT605.R835 2000 391´.000973—dc21 00-048584 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements ofthe American National Standard for Permanence ofPaper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1984. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page v Contents List ofTables and Illustrations xi Acknowledgments xvii Part 1: Introduction 1 Dress in Societal Discourse 3 The Notion ofPublic Memory,5 Clothing Semiotics,7 Individual Speech,13 “Publicspeak,”14 Fashion,14 Notes,16 2 Nineteenth-Century Theories ofClothing 19 The Modesty Theory,20 The Protection Theory,22 Modern Protective Garb,25 The Adornment Theory,25 Notes,33 Part 2: Characteristics of Modern Social Discourse 3 New Institutional Patterns ofDiscourse 39 Spirituality and the Denial ofthe Body,40 Renaissance Individualism and Economic Success,41 Modern Rationality,43 Notes,46 4 Dressing the Public Self 48 Sociocultural Background,48 The Demise ofMale Fashion,49 v 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page vi vi Contents Goal-Directed Behavior,49 The Norm ofSelf-Restraint,51 Presentation ofthe Public Self,52 Stability ofAppearance,55 Stigma Symbols,56 Clothing Signs in the Public Place,57 Challenges to Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Work Orientation,60 Challenging the Norm ofSelf-Restraint,61 Casual Wear,62 Notes,64 Part 3: Clothing Signs and Social Imperatives 5 The Image ofPower 69 Charismatic Dictatorship,70 Monarchy,70 Power in the American Presidency,73 Origins ofthe Image ofPower,74 Images ofPower in Christian Art,77 Power and Victimhood,79 Notes,81 6 The Image ofAuthority 83 Uniforms,83 Nonuniform Uniforms in the Corporate World,86 The Executive Role,88 Origins ofthe Image ofAuthority,89 The Sociocultural Background ofUniforms,91 Notes,99 7 Gender Images 103 Theories ofGender Distinction,103 Socialization to Gender,104 Female Gender,110 Male Gender,122 Notes,130 8 Seductive Images 135 Female Seductive Images,135 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page vii Contents vii Male Seductive Images,155 Notes,169 Part 4: Clothing Symbols and Cultural Values 9 Wealth and Beauty in the Middle Ages 179 Wealth,181 Beauty,186 The Book ofHoursand the Diffusion ofthe Beauty Ideal,188 Notes,190 10 Leisure and Political Hierarchy 192 Leisure,192 Political Hierarchy,192 Court Style,Decorum,and Manners,198 Notes,200 11 Commerce and Fashion 202 Commerce,202 The Emergence ofFashion,202 Fashion As an Economic Good,204 Fashion and the Individual,206 Notes,207 12 Beauty As Perfection ofPhysical Form 208 The Novel,209 The Beautiful,212 The History ofBeauty As a Cultural Value,214 Learning to Recognize Beauty,218 Beauty Through Surgery and Cosmetics,219 The Utility ofBeauty,223 Notes,224 13 The Youth Ideal 227 Creating a Social Identity,230 Age Stratification,231 Sociocultural Background,232 Mass Marketing,234 Demographic Changes,235 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page viii viii Contents Personal Response to Aging,236 Notes,237 14 The Health Ideal 239 Sanitation and Cleanliness,240 Diet,241 Utopian Writers,241 Reducing Risk,241 Preventing Tuberculosis,242 Adult Height and Weight Tables,243 The Well-Child Clinic,245 Prevention ofIllness As the Physician’s Domain,245 The Visual Conjoining ofValues,247 The Suntan,247 The Lean and Muscular Male Body,248 Notes,249 Part 5: Publicspeak 15 Clothing Tie-Signs 253 Individuals Who Dissent,254 Individuals Who Resist Sociocultural Change,257 Individuals Who Protest an Inferior Identity,262 Notes,267 16 Clothing Tie-Symbols 269 Claiming a Divergent Identity,269 Trendy Attire,271 Seeking Self-Definition,280 Anticipatory Socialization,281 College Groups,282 Ethnic Identity,282 Emulating Sports and Entertainment Celebrities,283 Imitating a President’s Wife,285 Expressing Political Values and Goals,285 Notes,289 17 The Presidency and Contemporary Fashion 294 The U.S.Presidency and Male Fashion,297 The U.S.Presidency and Female Fashion,298 0813367956FM.qxd 1/18/02 3:07 PM Page ix Contents ix The Reagan Presidency,298 The Bush Presidency,302 Historical Perspective,305 The Clinton Presidency,308 1990s Fashion Process,310 European Fashions,314 Notes,317 18 The Personal Self 321 Legitimacy ofan Individuated Self,321 Continuant Identity,322 Temporary Identity,323 Motives for Personal Dress,324 Alternatives and Ambiguity,335 Notes,336 Conclusion 339 Bibliography 341 Index 353
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