Dress codes: how the laws of fashion made history

Historical milestones and important dress codes

Part one: Status symbols. Encoding status: concerning the excessive display of trunk hose, crowns, ruffled collars, velvet and crimson silk

Self-fashioning: regarding togas, gowns, robes, and tailored clothing

Signs of faith: on the matter of dresses with indulgently long trains, earrings and other vanities, and on the habits of women religious

inspired by Christian Dior

Sex symbols: on the subject of plate armor and associated undergarments, masks, and costumes

Part two: from opulence to elegance. The great masculine renunciation: on the frock coat, tartan, and kilt, civilian uniforms, and powdered wigs, both large and modest

Style and status: the importance of the well-dressed man's basic black suit and the elegant woman's eight daily toilettes; the prevalence of silk and velvet waistcoats and the art of the perfectly tied cravat

Sex and simplicity: the merits of tailored coats, whaleboned corsets, full skirts and petticoats, and neoclassical gowns

The "rational dress" movement: the inconveniences of bloomers, tight-laced corsets, starched collared shirts, and suits with short trousers

Flapper feminism: the scandal of drop-waisted shifts, bobbed hair, cupid's bow lips, dancing flats, Bakelite earrings, and the Symington side lacer

Part three: Power dressing. Slaves to fashion? The allure and danger of dressing above one's condition in pumps with silver buckles, a hat cocked in the macaroni fashion, or a Jack Johnson plaid suit

From rags to resistance: seen on the scene: Zoot suits, cotillion gowns, pressed hair, and Sunday best; afros and overalls, dashikis, black turtlenecks, and black leather coats

Sagging and subordination: represent the race! Don't wear sagging pants, gang colors, hoodie sweatshirts, or decorative orthodontic devices (aka Grillz)

Part four: Politics and personality. How to dress like a woman: Your personal best: teased, curled, or styled hair; lipstick, foundation, eyeliner, blush, bunny ears, and satin maillot, high heels. Overdoing it: bared clavicles, yoga pants, miniskirts, "smart" jeans. In re. ladies in the law: skirts, nylons, makeup, nothing low-cut, a feminized morning suit

Recoding gender: clothing not belonging to your sex: prom night tuxedoes, blue (or pink) for boys, pink (or blue) for girls, miniskirts, tutus, and tailored suits

Piercing the veil: Outlawed as indecent or condemned as sacrilegious: headscarves, burkas, burkinis, bikinis, sexy sheitels, hip hijabs, and Covergirl makeup

Part five: retailored expectations. Merit badges: appropriate for the workplace: red-soled Louboutins, a 21 Club tie, a blue blazer, the preppy look, red sneakers, a Patagonia vest, a gray or black T-shirt. Inappropriate: designer dresses, high heels, suits

Artifice and appropriation: outfits for cultural tourism: bleached blonde hair, dreadlocks, hoop earrings, a cheongsam, a pink polo, an abacost, European luxury tailoring

Conclusion: decoding dress codes

Epilogue: dress codes stripped bare

Historical milestones and important dress codes

Introduction

Status symbols. Encoding status ; Self-fashioning ; Signs of faith ; Sex symbols

From opulence to elegance. The great masculine renunciation ; Style and status ; Sex and simplicity ; The "rational dress" movement ; Flapper feminism

Power dressing. Slaves to fashion? ; From rags to resistance ; Sagging and subordination

Politics and personality. How to dress like a woman ; Recoding gender ; Piercing the veil

Retailored expectations. Merit badges ; Artifice and appropriation

Conclusion: Decoding dress codes

Epilogue: Dress codes stripped bare.