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  • Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell book cover
  • Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell book cover
  • Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell book cover
  • Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell book cover
  • Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell book cover
  • Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell book cover
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Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear

by Paul Fussell

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The social meanings stitched into clothing

$16.53 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

The social meanings stitched into clothing

Paul Fussell examines uniforms and everyday dress as markers of class, sex, and belonging. Moving across the histories and cultural roles of clothing, the book considers attire worn in military, religious, health-care, food-service, and sports communities, alongside civilian life. Its range—from brass buttons and badges to blue jeans and decorative flourishes—makes dress the lens for exploring how groups signal identity and membership.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in fashion as a social and cultural subject.
  • Readers curious about uniforms across professions and communities.
  • Readers exploring clothing, class, identity, and belonging.

Themes

Clothing and social identityClass and dressUniforms and communityHistory and cultural significance of attire

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

According to the renowned social critic and historian Paul Fussell, we are what we wear, and it doesn't look good. Uniforms parses the hidden meanings of our apparel -- from brass buttons to blue jeans, badges to feather flourishes -- revealing what our clothing says about class, sex, and our desire to belong. With keen insight and considerable curmudgeonly flair, Fussell unfolds the history and cultural significance of all manner of attire, fondly analyzing the roles that uniforms play in a number of communities -- the military, the church, health care, food service, sports -- even everyday civilian life. Uniforms is vintage Fussell: "revelatory, ribald, and irresistible" (Shirley Hazzard).

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