Adorned in dreams: fashion and modernity

Abstract

When Adorned in Dreams was first published in 1985, Angela Carter described book as the best I have read on subject, bar none. From haute couture to haberdashery, deviant to Dior, Elizabeth Wilson traces social and cultural history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. She also discusses fashion's vociferous opponents, from dress reform movement to certain strands of feminism. Wilson delights in power of fashion to mark out identity or subvert it. This brand new edition of her book follows recent developments to bring story of fashionable up to date, exploring grunge look inspired by bands like Nirvana, boho chic of mid '90s, retro-dressing, and meanings of from veil to soccer player David Beckham's pink-varnished toenails.