Full Description
A comprehensive resource that will prove invaluable to fashion historians, this book presents a detailed exploration of the breadth of visually arresting, consumer-driven styles that have emerged in America since the 20th century.
What are the origins of highly specific denim fashions, such as bell bottoms, skinny jeans, and ripped jeans? How do mass media and popular culture influence today's street fashion? When did American fashion sensibilities shift from conformity as an ideal to youth-oriented standards where clothing could boldly express independence and self-expression? Street Style in America: An Exploration addresses questions like these and many others related to the historical and sociocultural context of street style, supplying both A-Z entries that document specific American street styles and illustrations with accompanying commentary.
This book provides a detailed analysis of American street and subcultural styles, from the earliest example reaching back to the early 20th century to contemporary times. It reviews all aspects of dress that were part of a look, considering variations over time and connecting these innovations to fashionable dress practices that emerged in the wakes of these sartorial rebellions. The text presents detailed examinations of specific dress styles and also interrogates the manifold meanings of dress practices that break from the mainstream. This book is a comprehensive resource that will prove invaluable to fashion historians and provide fascinating reading for students and general audiences.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
How to Use This Work
Part I
Exploring the Historical Context for the Development of Street Style
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The Sociocultural Context for the Development of Street Style
Chapter 3: The Flourishing of American Street Style: The Clothing Industry, Mass Media, and Its Consumers, 1930 to the Age of the Internet
Chapter 4: Street Stylin': Personal Style, Self-Expression, and the Importance and Impact of Street Style Photography on the Fashion Industry
Part II
A-Z Listing of American Street Styles
Introduction to the Entries
American Street Gangs
B-boy and B-girl
Beat Generation
Black Panther Party
Bobby Soxer
Bodybuilder
Burning Man
Cholo
Coachella
Cosplay
Dead Head
Emo
Gay Pride
Goth
Greaser
Grunge
Heavy Metal Rocker
Hip-Hop
Hippie
Hipster
Leathermen
Modern Primitive
Motorcyclist
New Wave
Punk
Rastafarianism
Raver
Rockabilly
Skateboarding
Skinhead
Snowboarding
Steampunk
Surfing
Zoot Suit
Part III
Gallery of American Street Style
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
