Comments on: Fashionable Decay: Death and Dress http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/13/fashionable-decay-death-and-dress/ Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:52:32 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Maggie http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/13/fashionable-decay-death-and-dress/comment-page-1/#comment-21136 Maggie Wed, 26 May 2010 14:54:32 +0000 http://www.wornthrough.com/?p=8030#comment-21136 I think you've noticed a key theme in fashion here. I especially like your comment about fashion "announcing our flesh" and embodiment. For some reason, this post makes me think of the sickly sweet smell of decaying, wilting peonies or honeysuckles or lilacs. For me, the smell of decaying flowers captures the sentiment in your post about fashion as fascinated and playing with death and decay, while celebrating sensuous pleasures and beauty. If you haven't yet seen Caroline Evans's book Fashion at the Edge: Spectacle, Modernity, and Deathliness, you should take a look at it. She also uses Marx and Benjamin in her analysis. Judith Clarke's exhibit and accompanying catalog Spectres: When Fashion Turns Back builds on Evans's work, as well. Both excellent books--thought-provoking and lushly illustrated. I think you’ve noticed a key theme in fashion here. I especially like your comment about fashion “announcing our flesh” and embodiment. For some reason, this post makes me think of the sickly sweet smell of decaying, wilting peonies or honeysuckles or lilacs. For me, the smell of decaying flowers captures the sentiment in your post about fashion as fascinated and playing with death and decay, while celebrating sensuous pleasures and beauty.

If you haven’t yet seen Caroline Evans’s book Fashion at the Edge: Spectacle, Modernity, and Deathliness, you should take a look at it. She also uses Marx and Benjamin in her analysis. Judith Clarke’s exhibit and accompanying catalog Spectres: When Fashion Turns Back builds on Evans’s work, as well. Both excellent books–thought-provoking and lushly illustrated.

]]> By: Mellissa http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/13/fashionable-decay-death-and-dress/comment-page-1/#comment-20809 Mellissa Tue, 18 May 2010 21:29:53 +0000 http://www.wornthrough.com/?p=8030#comment-20809 Valerie Steele actually wrote some really interesting commentary about this link between fashion and death for the "Gothic: Dark Glamour" show, at the Museum at FIT last fall. For those who didn't have opportunity to see the show, the catalogue is also beautiful and definitely worth checking out. Kat--just out of curiosity, what is your program? Valerie Steele actually wrote some really interesting commentary about this link between fashion and death for the “Gothic: Dark Glamour” show, at the Museum at FIT last fall. For those who didn’t have opportunity to see the show, the catalogue is also beautiful and definitely worth checking out.

Kat–just out of curiosity, what is your program?

]]> By: melina bee http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/13/fashionable-decay-death-and-dress/comment-page-1/#comment-20491 melina bee Thu, 13 May 2010 17:22:51 +0000 http://www.wornthrough.com/?p=8030#comment-20491 how fascinating. This makes me think of tuning in to a NPR opera broadcast of Tristan and Isolde as a young pre teen who had just read said work and hearing the radio commentary of how it represented everyone's quest for either sex or death, that up until a certain age all you want is to get laid and after that you're waiting to die. Not sure if I feel quite so black and white about it, but certainly has a point. Not surprised to hear that about this amazing duo. I had read that their famous x-ray sequin dress for Target last year was inspired by Harold, from Harold and Maude,'s dark and deeply morbid sense of humor. Great post! how fascinating. This makes me think of tuning in to a NPR opera broadcast of Tristan and Isolde as a young pre teen who had just read said work and hearing the radio commentary of how it represented everyone’s quest for either sex or death, that up until a certain age all you want is to get laid and after that you’re waiting to die. Not sure if I feel quite so black and white about it, but certainly has a point. Not surprised to hear that about this amazing duo. I had read that their famous x-ray sequin dress for Target last year was inspired by Harold, from Harold and Maude,’s dark and deeply morbid sense of humor. Great post!

]]> By: Kat http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/13/fashionable-decay-death-and-dress/comment-page-1/#comment-20485 Kat Thu, 13 May 2010 15:18:52 +0000 http://www.wornthrough.com/?p=8030#comment-20485 How appropriate! My program is devoting a special topics course to this subject. I hope the people taking it read this thought-provoking post! How appropriate! My program is devoting a special topics course to this subject. I hope the people taking it read this thought-provoking post!

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