Dressed: A Philosophy of Clothes (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781541645981)

Perfect for readers of Women in Clothes, this beautifully designed philosophical guide to fashion explores art, literature, and film to uncover the hidden meaning of a well-chosen wardrobe.
We all get dressed. But how often do we pause to think about what our clothes say? When we dress ourselves, we are presenting to the world an essence of who we are, who we want to be.

Dressed ranges freely from suits to suitcases, from Marx's coat to Madame X's gown. Through art and literature, film and philosophy, philosopher Shahidha Bari unveils the surprising personal implications of what we choose to wear. The impeccable cut of Cary Grant's suit projects masculine confidence, just as Madonna's oversized denim jacket and her armful of orange bangles loudly announces big ambition. How others dress tells us something fundamental about them -- we can better understand how people live and what they think through their garments. Clothes tell our stories.

Dressed is the thinking person's fashion book. In baring the hidden power of clothes in our culture and our daily lives, Bari reveals how our outfits not only cover our bodies but also reflect our minds.


Author: Shahidha Bari
ISBN-10: 1541645987
ISBN-13: 9781541645981
Publisher: Basic Books
Language: English
Published: 03/17/2020
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.40h x 6.30w x 1.30d

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/06/2020
Shelf Awareness 04/10/2020
Choice 04/01/2021