Need to write about man’s clothes, not women’s, according to personal experience. Fashion, Gender and Identity Fashion and Femininity: How Clothes Make the Man Goals: Build on existing skills in deep description and visual literacy Integrate visual literacy with critical analysis of clothings social functions Develop research skills in fashion history Directions: This paper brings together both observation and research skills, asking you to situate a particular piece of clothing in fashion history and make a claim about its role in constructing or challenging ideas about femininity. Begin with a piece of clothing or an accessory which you can physically examine. It can belong to you, or your peer, or a family member, or it can be in a store* (this is only OK if you try it on, and use respectful judgment here, since many salespeople dont like you to touch clothing you dont plan to buy). The first part of your paper will build a portrait of your item. You should discuss its: Scale (what are the proportions? Oversized? Slim cut? Boxy? etc) Lines (how it is cut?) Rhythm and movement (how does the garment move when a body is in it? What does it hug or flare out from?) Material (What fabric is used? What is the texture? How does it feel to you or to the wearer? Why do you think this fiber was chosen and how might it be different with other materials?) Color scheme Embellishment Price point – what is the typical range for which this garment sells? Other features specific to the item The second portion will situate this layered description in fashion history and in social analysis. Present a brief research analysis of your particular type of garment (belt, skirt, dress, hat, etc). Consider these questions: When do historians date your garment from? What function did it serve that made it necessary or appealing? What major changes over time have occurred to your garment? Remember that the assessment sheet maintains you follow proper research protocol all sources must be correctly cited. You must use at least three outside sources (articles we have read in class can also be used, if they are applicable). The final portion of your paper integrates your visual description and your historical research; you will critically analyze your garments social messages about femininity and the female body. Use your descriptive observations, and what youve learned about the history of your garment, to guide you. Consider these questions: What body types, socioeconomic classes would be interested in this garment? Which audiences are left out? How does this garment display the female body? How do you think people have used this garment over time to show their femininity, challenge the idea of femininity, etc? Frequently Asked Questions: Yes, you can: o Choose an item from the past (as long as you have access to a physical representation of it) o Choose and item that is masculine in style or could be considered menswear (as long as you are discussing how women use it) No, you dont have to formally separate the description and the research portions of the paper, as long as the description goes first. Length: 5-7 pages. Stylistics: Generate a title (no title page needed), use regular font, margin and spacing.
