Fashion: A Cultural History

3 credits

Fashion trends simultaneously shape and are shaped by the culture from which they grow, reflecting personal taste, social values, political and economic developments, popular culture, new technology, and the overall mood of a period. From the late 18th century fanciful French Rococo style to the 19th century technological advances of British Industrialism and the modern perfectionism of 1950s America, this course connects Western European and American fashion styles to the societal and cultural tastes of each era. Through lectures, discussions, and visual research projects, this course will analyze how these styles are connected to global influences; explore how aesthetic choices are impacted by factors including politics, economics, artistic movements, technological developments, and trendsetting icons; and highlight the correlation between fashion and popular interior styles.