From Top Hats to Baseball Caps, from Bustles to Blue Jeans: Why We Dress the Way We Do

Discusses the types of clothing people have worn throughout history, how fashion changes can reflect world events, and how clothing also mirrors life-styles, self image, and public image

Grade 5-8-- From earliest times men and women have used clothing to reflect status and position in society, and Perl's book serves as an interesting social commentary rather than as a reference source for style of dress. The interesting, storylike format leads readers through periods of history in western Europe and the United States, and will be easily understood by those with no background knowledge in this area. The illustrations, pen-and-ink drawings and photos, clearly represent the styles, and are grouped together to cover several pages of explanation rather than on the same page as the description. A far more extensive resource is Elisabeth McClellan's Historic Dress in America , (Ayer, 1969). This enjoyable book could enhance social studies and history in the areas of women's rights and social change. --Carrol McCarthy, Tower Hill School, Wilmington, DE
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.