History of Modern Fashion, 1900- Present

This class is a historical survey of fashion through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It will incorporate critical readings, film, images and primary sources with the aim of understanding significant changes in dress and how clothing functions in culture. We will look at couture, ready to wear, along with subculture and counterculture styles in Europe and the United States with an emphasis on how they fit into the visual culture and social environment of the period. Upon completing this class students should be able to identify clothing within the periods covered, understand the terminology, and recognize the application of historic styles in contemporary fashion design.