Pendergast, Sara

The cultural, religious, and social implications of human decoration and adornment are examined. Detailed information about clothing, hairstyles, tattoos, jewelry, body piercing, feet binding, and other types of fashion or style is profiled. Entries explain the fashion or style within the context of the traditions, customs, rituals, or practices it relates to, as well as its significance to society or culture. Entries are arranged chronologically, and each era, century, or decade begins with a short synopsis of the historical highlights. The four main topic areas are clothing, footwear, hairstyles and headgear, and body decoration.

Profiles approximately fifty significant Africans and individuals of African descent in a variety of fields, including sports reporter Sam Lacy, engineer Percy Pierre, and comedienne Maya Rudolph of "Saturday Night Live," presenting biographical details and career overviews.

Contains articles that describe the clothing, headwear, body decorations, and footwear traditional to cultures around the world, covering a period that ranges from prehistory to the early twenty-first century, and includes photographs, and a time line.

Describes examples of the commerce, fashion, film and theater, food and drink, music, print works, sports and games, and other markers of popular culture in America during the twentieth century, and includes topical and alphabetized tables of contents and a chronology spanning 1900-1999.