Appearance has repeatedly been shown to have a potent and immediate effect on others in a wide range of circumstances. In particular, the consequences of women's appearance are severe and have social, economic, and legal ramifications. From the more obvious role of uniforms in social control through to the subtle interplay between size and status, appearance counts. The vast number of people seeking body alterations or modifications through dieting, tattooing, piercing and plastic surgery attests to the importance of how we look, not only to others but also to ourselves.
This book tackles the charged and frequently painful subject of how appearance affects social interaction and the role of larger social structures in perpetuating and institutionalizing it as an evaluative criterion. What effect does obesity have on power(lessness)? What role does women's dress play in others' perception of consent in cases of rape? How do groups operating on the margins of mainstream society use appearance to negotiate power, make statements and effect change? What roles do gender and ethnicity play in the workplace?
This provocative book attempts not only to answer these questions, but to lay foundations for future research in an area which affects everyone in profound and often invisible ways.
Kim K. P. Johnson is a Professor Emeritus in the Retail Merchandising Program at the University of Minnesota.
Joanne B. Eicher was Regents Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota. Joanne was Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Dress and Fashion (Bloomsbury and OUP); Series Editor, Dress, Body, Culture (Bloomsbury) and Dress and Fashion Research (Bloomsbury); Editor, Global Trade and Cultural Authentication: The Kalabari of the Niger Delta; and Co-Author, The Visible Self (Fairchild); Dress and Gender (Berg); Dress and Ethnicity (Berg); Beads and Beadmakers (Berg); Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride (National Geographic); and a wide variety of published articles in professional journals and chapters in books.
Sharron J. Lennon PhD is a Professor Emeritus in the Merchandising program in the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design at Indiana University. Dr. Lennon taught behavioral aspects of dress and consumer behavior and advised numerous doctoral and Master's students. Her research interests include consumer misbehavior on Black Friday, dress and objectification, body image and dress, dress codes, and online retail. Dr. Lennon is past president of the International Textiles and Apparel Association and served as editor of the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal.
