The suit, perfection for purpose

Breward, Christopher

The suit, perfection for purpose

Resource type

Book chapter

Creator (person)

Breward, Christopher

Date published

2022

Abstract

Fashion has been discussed, questioned, criticised and admired for centuries, often without the historical knowledge of how or why it takes the form it does. This applies above all to menswear, since fashion has often been associated primarily with women’s fashion. In historical terms, fashion from the 18th century onwards has, both from a cultural and social perspective, been more closely connected to femininity than masculinity. With the anthology Men’s Fashion – An Untold Story, we aim to create a broader understanding of men’s fashion and its history – after all, men represent half of the world’s population! The time has come for the background to men’s clothing to be as well-known and discussed as women’s. This book presents a journey through the history of men’s fashion from the 16th century to the present day. Among the authors are some of the most famous researchers and fashion historians in the Western world. In a personal and easily accessible style, these writers explain how and why men’s clothes look the way they do today, how the story behind men’s need to exert their power and masculinity has changed over the centuries and how masculinity is today expressed in an entirely different manner than before. Since a knowledge of fashion is most easily conveyed not only as text but through visual experiences, the book’s often surprising content is also richly illustrated.