Dress code

"Everything--from societal changes to the progress (or lack thereof) of women's rights to the hidden motivations behind what we choose to wear to align ourselves with a particular social group--can be tracked through clothing . . . Not everyone participates in painting, literature, or film. But there is no "opting out" of fashion. And yet, fashion is still seen as superficial and trivial, and only the finest of couture is considered as art. Hyland argues that fashion is a key that unlocks questions of power, sexuality, and class, taps into history, and sends signals to the world around us. Clothes means something--even if you're 'just' wearing jeans and a T-shirt"--Provided by publisher.