• ANNOUNCEMENTS (INCLUDES QUOTE OF THE WEEK AND NEWS STORY OF THE WEEK)
  • THE EASY (COLOUR-CODED) GUIDE TO HOW TO REFERENCE A BOOK OR AN INTERNET SITE
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    • COURSE INFORMATION - ACADEMIC SUPPORT
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    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA1 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA2 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
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    • PROJECT BRIEF - REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
    • PROJECT BRIEF - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY - NON-ASSESSED
    • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PROPOSAL needs doing...
    • PROJECT BRIEF - LITERATURE REVIEW - NON-ASSESSED
    • PROJECT BRIEF - GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION AND RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS 1, 2 AND 3 >
      • PROJECT BRIEF - GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION - NON-ASSESSED
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 1 - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL needs visuals
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 2 - INTRODUCTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, METHODOLOGY
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 3 - DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION
  • REFERENCING - HARVARD PLEASE!
    • REFERENCING - WHAT IS REFERENCING?
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - USING CITATIONS AND QUOTATIONS
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - REFERENCE LIST/BIBLIOGRAPHY
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - HOW TO REFERENCE ANYTHING
  • BA1 CLASS READINGS AND VISUALS
    • BA1 CLASS READINGS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION (THE REGULATION OF FASHION) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE HISTORICAL ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSUMER CULTURE (BEAU BRUMMELL) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE PERSONAL ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - TRICKLE-DOWN/BUBBLE-(TRICKLE)-UP (JEANS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE EASY ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - GENDER AND SEXUALITY (STILETTOS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE SEXY ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (TIES) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE DIFFICULT ONE)
    • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY >
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION (THE REGULATION OF FASHION)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSUMER CULTURE (BEAU BRUMMELL)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - TRICKLE-DOWN/BUBBLE-(TRICKLE)-UP (JEANS)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (STILETTOS)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (TIES)
    • BA1 CLASS READINGS - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - THE FABRIC OF EXISTENCE (TEXTILES IN HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - THE TIES THAT BIND (SOCIAL MEANINGS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - CLOTH AND TEMPORAL POWER (MONEY, TRADE, STATUS AND CONTROL) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - CLOTH AS COMMUNICATION (MEANING, MESSAGES AND BEAUTY) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - TEXTILES AND THE SPIRIT (SACRED, SPIRITUAL AND HEALING SIGNIFICANCE) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
  • BA2 CLASS READINGS AND VISUALS
    • BA2 CLASS READINGS - FASHION IN SOCIETY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - VEILING GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - THE SECOND HAND MARKET GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - FEMINISM AND FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - HOMOSEXUAL FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - FASHION IN INDIA GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
    • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY >
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - THE SECONDHAND MARKET
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - INDIAN FASHION
    • BA2 CLASS READINGS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - WEAVING AS POLITICAL SYMBOL (YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS ONE) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH GROUP SEMNAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - GANDHI AND KHADI CLOTH GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE FEMALE TRADITION OF TEXTILES GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - KNITTING AS ART GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
    • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY >
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - WEAVING AS POLITICAL SYMBOL
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE FEMALE TRADITION OF TEXTILES
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH
  • BA3 CLASS READINGS
    • BA3 CLASS READING - THE FIVE STAGES OF REFLECTIVE WRITING
  • THEORY READINGS AND VISUALS (GENERAL REFERENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR RESEARCH)
    • THEORY READING - WHY STUDY FASHION?
    • THEORY READING - WHAT IS A THEORY?
    • THEORY READING - INTRODUCTION TO BA1 FASHION THEORY
    • THEORY READING - FASHION CYCLES (CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, TRICKLE-DOWN/UP/ACROSS)
    • THEORY READING CLASS VISUALS - FASHION CYCYES (CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, TRICKLE-DOWN/UP/ACROSS)
    • THEORY READING - KEY TERMS IN FASHION THEORY
    • THEORY READING - TEXTILE METAPHORS
  • FICTION READINGS (FOR WHEN YOU ARE BORED)
    • FICTION READING - ELIZABETH JANE HOWARD'S 'THE BEAUTIFUL VISIT'
    • FICTION READING - ANITA BROOKNER'S 'PROVIDENCE'
    • FICTION READING - RUMER GODDEN'S 'BLACK NARCISSUS'
    • FICTION READING - THE BROTHERS GRIMMS' 'HOW SOME CHILDREN PLAYED AT SLAUGHTERING'
    • FICTION READING - THOMAS HARDY'S 'JUDE THE OBSCURE' - THE PIG SLAUGHTERING (NOT FOR VEGETARIANS OR THE FAINTHEARTED)
    • FICTION READING - THE BROTHERS GRIMMS' 'RUMPELSTILTSKIN'
    • FICTION READING - GREEK MYTHOLOGY'S 'THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR'
    • FICTION READING - GREEK MYTHOLOGY'S 'PROKNE AND PHILOMELA'
    • FICTION READING - DAWN FRENCH'S 'A TINY BIT MARVELLOUS'
  • MATHS READINGS (FOR WHEN YOU ARE REALLY BORED)
    • MATHS READING - PI (FOR GEEKS)
    • MATHS READING - ON LABOUR'S PROPOSAL TO MAKE MATHS COMPULSORY POST-16 (HE'S GOT A POINT)
    • MATHS READING - WHY WE NEED PYTHAGORAS (WHAT DOES LILY ALLEN KNOW?) ​
    • MATHS READING - FORMULA FOR WORKING OUT AGATHA CHRISTIE WHODUNNIT (I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOL)
    • MATHS READING - ORDER AND PATTERN AS THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING (ARTY) ​
    • MATHS READING - WRITER SHIRLEY CONRAN'S MATHS EBOOK FOR GIRLS (I FAILED MATHS TWICE)
    • MATHS READING - RELATIVITY VERSUS QUANTUM MECHANICS (I ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD SOME OF THIS)
    • MATHS READING - WHY WE SHOULD ALL LEARN COMPUTER CODING (VERY LONG... IF YOU MANAGE TO GET TO THE END OF IT I WILL BUY YOU A DRINK)
    • MATHS READING - DO WE REALLY NEED MATHS? (SAYS IT ALL)
    • MATHS READING - THE 'BEAUTY' OF EINSTEIN (I LOST THE WILL TO LIVE)
  • MY RESEARCH BLOGS AND RESEARCH PINTEREST
  • MY REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
  • DYSLEXIA (INCLUDES THE BRITISH DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION ADULT CHECKLIST)
  • ARE YOU STRESSED?
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - WRITERS' BLOCK
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - MANAGING STRESS
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - PINTEREST FOR STRESS
  • TO DO
  • REFERENCES
  • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES PROGRAMME - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES PROJECT BRIEF - GLOBAL FASHION AND TEXTILE MANUFACTURING REPORT 2014-15
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - INTRODUCTION TO CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - THE ALTERNATIVE PROJECT BRIEF
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - PEST AND CSR
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ETHICS AND DISSERTATION
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - GLOBALIZATION ​
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ETHICAL
  • THE REFERENCING TEST
  BCOT BA Textiles for Fashion
Historical and Theoretical Studies theory classes and readings.

BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO THEORY - FASHION SYMBOLS AND CODES (A BIT OF A KILLER) - this reading is extracts (...) from the set text.


CHAPTER 3 - FASHION CYCLES, SYMBOLS AND FLOWS, FROM FASHION - THE KEY CONCEPTS. JENNIFER CRAIK. 2009.


As we have seen fashion is not just a covering for the body but a means of communicating about the body and can thus be considered a symbolic system where clothes and the rules that govern how they can be worn can be seen as a type of language or set of signs. The theories (previously) discussed ...  have focused on theories that posit fashion as a system in relation to external factors such as class differentiation, economic development, psychological needs, or the civilising process. We now turn to fashion theories that attempt to explain how fashion can be seen as an internal system of signs and symbols that create a (quasi) language.

To understand this we need to apply semiotic and linguistic models to the elements of apparel and adornment and the codes and rules concerning them. To do this, we analyze not only the clothes themselves but how clothes relate to the body and how clothes enable or equip the body to perform as a social body through gesture and performance.

The theorist most strongly associated with this approach is Roland Barthes, who wrote the now-classic book 'The Fashion System' (1984). Barthes was influenced by the theory of structuralism in postwar French anthropology and linguistics, which examined social phenomena as a set of interrelated components making up a complex whole. In the case of fashion, this meant examining the garments and elements of an outfit or a look that composed a vocabulary and a grammar (rather than reading off their external meanings).

Barthes' book has profoundly shaped recent fashion theory, although the book itself is often referred to rather than read since it is 'monumental but indigestible' (Louis-Jean Calvert quoted by Stafford 2006: 119) ...

Barthes makes a distinction between three kinds of garments - the real garment, the represented garment, and the used garment - corresponding to the processes of production, distribution and consumption. ...

... Barthes drew on the discipline of semiotics. Semiology is the science of forms or signs, and in the case of fashion, the forms relate to the garments, details, accessories, and modes of wearing clothes. If we conceive of the elements as signs, we can see how they compose a language of clothes ... and the clothed body of an individual constitutes a specific statement by way of the choice and arrangement of clothing. To understand this, we need to break down the idea of a sign into two components: the signifier and the signified. The signifier is the physical referent, while the signified is the mental concept implied by the signifier.

A pair of sunglasses signifies protective eyewear; however, sunglasses worn by a known criminal convey a special type of meaning; that is, they evoke images of gangsters and gangland warfare. Sunglasses worn by a celebrity are typically very large and very dressy, indicating both top-of-the-range tastes (conspicuous consumption) and a desire for anonymity (invisibility in the everyday world). A pair of boots may signify hardwearing footwear, but worn by a cowboy, they also indicate hard-living, adventurous, conservative masculinity. ...



One way to unpick our symbolic fashion systems is to examine fashion writings since these both rely on naturalised significations and connotations and create new ones and remind us of other ones. So, an article about a designer's reworking of the little black dress both draws on shared ... connotations of this garment and suggests new elements or elaborations of the connotations (or embedded meanings and symbolism) of it and how it might be reinterpreted. ...



This semiotic approach to fashion has the advantage of being able to analyse examples of fashion successes, phases, and trends and to make interpretations of particular garments, looks, and individual ways of composing a certain stylistic effect. Once regarded as a radical controversial approach, semiotics or the language of clothes was the dominant fashion theory of the late twentieth century. (Craik, 2009, pp.109-115).



REFERENCE

Craik, J. (2009) Fashion - the key concepts. Oxford: Berg.

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