American Look: Fashion and the Image of Women in 1930's and 1940's New York Paperback – November 15, 2008

An interesting , detailed and accurate description and discussion of the development of fashion in the USA, starting from the creation of a new american style after the Great Depression to the detachment from the model of Parisian fashion during WW II, this book will take you from the beginning into a fascinating story of how american women changed in the first part of the last century, from the college girl to the urbanized working woman, and how these sociological changes were paralleled by changes in how women dressed. If some of the stories are funny and will make you laugh (the pop-over dress, launched in 1942, had "a large quilted patch pocket on the right side, with a matching red-cotton backed oven mitt... attached to the dress with a tape..."!) others will surprise you when discovering the philosophical and sociological theories that are behind our selection of what to put on our bodies. The parallel with art is also very strong, from the influence of visual artists to the way models were photographed to the different settings, from street to studios, from beaches to new architecture. Some photos of the '30s are more 'art photography' than 'fashion photography'. The role of women in the design, manufacturing and commercialization of fashion is also very interesting and well presented. This book makes you want to read more about fashion history.

I was disappointed in this book because of the lack of illustrations. It is well written and interesting but in a costume or art book I expect a fair number of illustrations and this book is weak in that department. If you are looking for textual descriptions this is a good book.

Produit conforme à la description, très intéressant !