Fashion: Dystopia, Utopia, Heterotopia

Fashion can be described in many ways. While for some it is unnecessary, for others it is life. In fashion there are many ways in which it can be either a heterotopias, a utopia, or a dystopia.

According to Michel Foucault, “Utopias are fundamentally unreal spaces” (Foucault, 1). Michel Foucault also says “The mirror, is after all a, a utopia, since it is a placeless place. Fashion relates to a utopia in the sense that a mirror is essential for all people who participate in well dressing. Every outfit if looked through a mirror, “a virtual space that opens up behind the surface”.

Foucault describes heterotopias as  a place without geographical markers. Heterotopias can be things that happen nowhere. Essentially in fashion there heterotopias when people shop for items on sale. You get them on sale at the store, but once you are out of the store you don’t really want to associate you clothing as sale items. They were just on sale that tiny moment in time when they were on the rack. Fashion is directly related to heterochronies, which are linked to slices in time (Foucault, 5). Fashion is a collection of all previous trends before the time of the present. While there are new trend appearing, there are old trends coming back. The last thing that makes fashion a heterotopias is how it resembles “colonies” (Foucault, 7). There are many stores for clothing, organized in the sense that everyone knows what to expect when going into one.

Dystopias are often described as negative and futuristic. If Fashion can only be described as a utopia, heterotopias, or dystopia, it would be categorized the best with a dystopia. . Fashion can be very futuristic because it is always a step of head of  everything. While people just went shopping for their spring wardrobe, fall fashion trends are already being established. There are so many problems and controversy associated with fashion that makes many people believe it has a negative impact on the world. While it is important to be well dressed, many people get to involved into fashion and it takes over their life. Another thing that makes fashion a dystopia is that it can make a lot of people feel bad about themselves. Fashion often creates a hierarchy in society. While money and class often define hierarchies in society, fashion is creates a hierarchy with an hierarchy. Even people in the same class compete with each other when it comes to fashion and it causes for many self esteems to be brought down.

Sources:
Foucault, Michel. Of Other Spaces, Heterotopias. 1967. 1-8. Print

Fashion and The Body.

Certain fashion trends aren't for everybody. Fashion trends are not "one size fits all" and can really make some people look ridiculous. The style a person chooses to have is highly dependant on that person's body type. Although some people do dare to dress in clothing that is not suited to them, most people tend to stay clear of clothing that will make them look bad. For example, women with wider thighs find it difficult to wear loose tops. Even if the person had a small waist, all people are going to see is a big top, with the big thighs.

Today the most sough after body shape is slim. A big factor that plays into why people want to be slim is fashion. Fashion trends are started by fashion industries and celebrities who are all very thin, causing fashion trends to be geared toward smaller figures. People want to have nice bodies to better participate in more fashion trends. "Low rider jeans on more "voluptous" females draw attention to the exessive weight in the stomach area rather than looking attractive or cool"(Oppliger, 11) Patrice Oppliger talk about fashion in her book and how some "bigger" girls cannot participate in some trends becaus eof their weight. This often is one of the causes for eating disorders. The pressure of the media and models often become stress to youn girls who seek to fit the image of slim and fashionable.

Many different factors are tied into fashion and clothing. Waistlines are very important in an outfit. Depending on were you position your waistline, you figure will look different. Fashion is like sculpting of the body in the way that you can give your self a shape by using certain items of clothing.

Th search for the perfect jeans is a never ending journey for many women. Jeans are labeled by style and size. If only it were that easy. Women don't only come in different sizes, but also different shapes. By limiting jean variation to size, clothing companies are making it difficult for many women to find a pair of jeans that flatters their body perfectly.

Necklines can really make a difference in an outfit. A V-neck shirt can make a neck look longer, while a scooped neck can make the cheat appear bigger. Like previously mentioned, fashion helps sculpt the body to a desired shape.

Sources:
Oppliger, Patrice. Girls gone skank: the sexualization of girls in American culture. McFarland & Co Inc Pub, 2008. Print.

Industry & Consumers



Mass production of clothing is important because of the size of the world population. While high fashion designers make one of a kind pieces, not everyone can afford those pieces of clothing. People started to become more and more inclined in fashion, and soon began the mass production of clothing. Mass production in the industry helped make clothes faster an more affordable for everyone.

Designers wanted new technology, faster laborers, more marketing, and show producers, this made fashion explode into something big. The mass production of clothing started to promote the making of trends. Before fashion expanded, people didn't have pieces in their closet that were identical to other people. With mass marketing, people started to have some of the same clothing, and popular trends in clothing choosing emerged.

Producers in fashion tend to rely on he media to produce different styles of clothing. Industry is driven by simply the demand of the consumers. As the years go on, people are become more involved in fashion, and fashion industry become more successful. Countries started to increase their production capabilities to meet the demands of the fashion industry and consumers. The idea of mass production is for people to have ready made clothing, instead of making their own or relying a smaller garment makers.

In he 1850's, with the development of the Singer sewing machine, mass production of clothing evolved. Later on in the 1880's, sewing machines were improved to stitch over 2,000 stitches per minute, which then increased to 4,000 in the 1900's. By the 20th century, fashion become the influencing force in the clothing industry. As technology for clothing production became more advanced, more fashion labels started to rise. The clothes made in the mass production industry represented the style of high fashion designers, but was more attainable.

Source:
Arnold, Rebecca. Fashion: A very SHort Introduction. New York, NY: Oxford, 2009. 48-66. Print

Madonna

Madonna emerged in the 1980's with "Like a Virgin", and she would soon become an highly influential fashion icon in the world. With outfits that were original and creative, Madonna started inspiring teenage girls everywhere. Fashion in the 80's inculded lace, tulle, 'boytoy' belts, cross jewelry, and brassieres as clothes, which were all inspired my Madonna's fashion. Also during Madonna's huge fashion era, black was the most popular color worn. Madonna's fashion can be described as highly sexual and empowering. Her lingerie style of dress was embraced as club wear, and complety turned around all previous fashion trends.

Madonna now has a fashion line "Material Girl" which is sold at Macy's. The Material Girl line is aimed towards juniors and named after one of her many hits, Material Girl. The affordable fashion line features a lot of black, faux leather, animal print, tulle, and many of her past trend made modern. Madonna's Material Girl line is not only designed by her, but with her 13 year old daughter, Lourdes.

Madonna "Frozen"

Slide Show of Madonna Pics:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/07/16/fashion/0717-MADONNA_10.html

Source:
"Madonna Biography." Bio.True Story. N.p., n.d. Web.  <http://www.biography.com/articles/Madonna-9394994>.

Amelia Earhart's Influence on Fashion

Amelia Earhart was the first aviator to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean. Although she is remembered for her achievements in aviation, she made a big impact on fashion in the 1920's. By colleagues, he way of dress was described as "lacking taste", and called her headwear "a public menace". In 1935, only two years before her 1937 flight were she turned out missing, Amelia Earhart was named one of the 10 best-dresses women of the year by fashion designers.

Amelia Earhart style was also described as a female version of Charles Lindbergh, which was clean-cut. To fly Amelia preferred old comfortable clothes, with not one touch of elegance. High laced shoes, trousers, ancient leather coat, leather flying helmet and goggles was Amelia Earhart's flying outfit. Other female pilots would have still dressed feminine while on a plane,

but Amelia chose to have a more comfortable style.

In 1929, when she made more public appearances, Amelia started to dress more elegant. After she became well-known she started dressing better on flights. Instead on a wind breaker suit, she but wear a suede suit with a cut. One of her friends, Katherine Hepburn, was in a movie that was very similar to Amelia's life. In he movie, Katherine Hepburn wear more glamorous styles of Amelia's flying outfits.

In the 1930's Amelia convinced manufacturers to put her name on fashion labels. Her line got very popular, and Amelia started being featured in magazines and newspapers. In May of 1934, she even had her on spread in Vogue magazine. She also had a luggage line, Amelia Earhart Luggage, which was designed by her. Amelia's clothing line went against the "systematic repression of women", and was made for more athletic type women.

Source:

Benstock, Shari. On Fashion. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1994. 76-94. Print.

Fashion, Politics & Controversy

Everyone has a different aspect on fashion. Whether it is to look presentable, elegant, sexy, symbolic, or just casual, people are usually trying to represent something in their outfit. Fashion in politics is important because it conveys who you are to the people. What a political candidate wears can say a lot about the person, and can even effect people make presumptions about the person’s decision making abilities.

Condolezza Rice, 66th United States Secretary, has stirred up controversy before because of her outfits. Women in politics are expected to dress presentable and conservative to avoid any unwanted attention. The idea is for women to be seen for their political career and not for what they wear. In the above picture of the former secretary, she was harshly critized for what she was wearing. Although she wasn't showing much skin, her knee-high boots were an unacceptable for her political position. The shape and height of the boots are seen as "sexy" and should not have been worn by a United States Secretary. This raised many issues sexual power. While preparing this outfit, Condolezza Rice probably just thought it was cute and appropriate for the event. Critics and spectators gave the situation unwanted attention by naming the outfit inappropriate and sexual.
Condolezza Rice is aware that appearaces to matter. "Fashion-lovers were acused of swallowing male definitions of femininity as whole"(Beckingham, 9). May people can argue that Rice was simply trying to look good while others say she was making a statement.

Source:

Givhan, Robin. "Condoleezza Rice's Commanding Clothes." The Pulitzer Prizes. The Washington Post, 2005. Web. 20 Mar 2011. http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/6987.

Beckingham, Carolyn. Is Fashion a Woman's Right? (HB @ PB Price). 2005. Print.

Sociology of Fashion

What sounds shallow, is true. People judge you on how you look and how you dress. What you wear can form impressions of yourself to others. Fashion structures society in a way. When you see a group of people together, they are mostly dressed in similar styles. Fashion plays a big role in the way people socialize with eachother. "People dress to please, to impress, to attract, to stand out, to protest, to conform, to kill... Truly, clothing is the most important of consumer goods when it comes to expressing one's personality, probably because it's so close to our person, followed by jewellery and similar accessories we keep close to our bodies."(Marquise.com) If art is how an artist expresses himself, outfits must be how a person expresses themself to the world. The body is a shell that represents who we are. The way you dress is among the first characteristics people nitice in a person. While fashion is insignificant to many people, it surely does impact them no matter what they think. A woman with a simple white shirt and jeans will be judge differently than a woman with a pencil skirt and a colorful blouse. If you are in anyway a very social person that attends many social event, it would be understadable that fashion is key to succesful nights. What youre wearing can be conversation started, and ultimately you can meet new people.

"Those are some cute shoes!"

"Thanks! I got them at Macy's, half off!"

"Really? I need to go to Macy's and take advantage of that deal!"

...And the conversation goes on, you just met a new stranger and had a great converstion with them.

Source:
"Fashion and Consumption." Marquise. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar 2011. <http://www.marquise.de/en/misc/fashion.shtml>.