| The Clothed Body Contributor(s): Calefato, Patrizia (Author), Adams, Lisa (Translator) |
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ISBN: 1859738052 ISBN-13: 9781859738054 Publisher: Berg 3pl OUR PRICE: $42.52 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: November 2004 Annotation: What do tattooed Egyptian mummies of 2000 BC have in common with modern sub-cultural styles? From mini-skirts to skin decoration, make-up to hair, dress is imbued with symbols that reflect different meanings in different contexts. Calefato picks apart the multiple functions of modern dress, considering the psychological, cultural, spiritual and symbolic significances at play. What we wear is a vehicle for the (often contentious) expression of politics, gender and identity and therefore clothing is at the root of a complex set of messages, many paradoxical. Clothing may, for example, liberate through the pleasures of masquerade and at the same time "cage" or control the body. "The Clothed Body" shows how semiotics can provide a convincing template for understanding dress in a wide range of contexts. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Customs & Traditions - Design | Fashion & Accessories - Social Science | Anthropology - General |
| Dewey: 391 |
| LCCN: 2004006547 |
| Series: Dress, Body, Culture (Paperback) |
| Physical Information: 0.41" H x 6.32" W x 9.16" (0.62 lbs) 176 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Dress is everywhere imbued with symbols that reflect different meanings in different contexts. This compelling book convincingly demonstrates how clothing is analogous to a working language and is similarly underpinned by deeper meanings and philosophies.From tattoos and mini-skirts, to skin decoration, makeup and hair, Calefato unpicks the multiple functions of modern dress. Exploring intriguing commonalities - for example, between tattooed Egyptian mummies of 2000 BC and modern subcultural styles - Calefato considers the psychological, cultural, spiritual and symbolic significances at play in what she aptly labels 'body cartography'. What we wear is a vehicle for the (often contentious) expression of politics, gender and identity, placing clothing at the root of a complex set of messages, many of which are paradoxical. Clothing may, for example, liberate through the pleasures of masquerade and at the same time 'cage' or control the body. The Clothed Body shows how semiotics can provide a convincing template for understanding dress in a wide range of contexts and will be essential reading for anyone interested in the meaning of what we wear. |
Contributor Bio(s): Calefato, Patrizia: - Patrizia Calefato is Associate Professor, Dipartimento di Pratiche Linguistiche e Analisi di Testi, Universitą degli Studi di Bari. She is Deputy President of the Italian Association of Semiotic Studies and serves on the Executive Committee of the Societą Italiana delle Letterate (Italian Society of Women in Literature).Eicher, Joanne B.: - Joanne B. Eicher is Regents Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota. Joanne is Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Dress and Fashion (Bloomsbury and OUP); Series Editor, Dress, Body Culture (Bloomsbury); Author, Editor, Co-Editor, The Visible Self, (Fairchild); Dress and Gender (Berg); Dress and Ethnicity (Berg); Beads and Beadmakers (Berg); Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride (National Geographic); a wide variety of published articles in professional journals and chapters in books. |