Market à la mode
fashion, commodity, and gender in the Tatler and …
Erin Skye Mackie
303 pages | ~8 hrs
Market à la mode
fashion, commodity, and gender in the Tatler and the Spectator
By Erin Skye Mackie
In Market à la Mode, Erin Skye Mackie unveils the profound cultural forces that shaped British society through the lens of two influential publications, The Tatler and The Spectator. This scholarly exploration reveals how these periodicals became powerful agents of transformation, reshaping not merely clothing preferences but fundamental concepts of identity, commerce, and social values.
Mackie demonstrates how these publications championed what they deemed "natural" fashion while opposing elaborate styles like the hoop-petticoat. Through their pages, they promoted domesticated femininity over worldly sophistication, advocating for refined aesthetic sensibilities rather than flights of fancy or excessive enthusiasm. The author traces how these periodicals positioned bourgeois decency as superior to aristocratic indulgence, effectively establishing new cultural standards.
This examination goes far beyond surface-level fashion commentary. Mackie illuminates how these publications actively defined appropriate spheres of activity for women while simultaneously transforming commerce into a form of entertainment and leisure. The study reveals the complex processes of commodification and the evolution of gender identity within commercial contexts.
For readers interested in understanding how cultural narratives shape personal and collective identity, this work offers valuable insights into the mechanisms through which publications influence social consciousness. Mackie's analysis demonstrates how seemingly superficial discussions of fashion actually carried profound implications for British cultural development and individual self-understanding.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Explore Fashion, history
- ✓ Explore British Aesthetics
- ✓ Explore Aesthetics, British
- ✓ Explore Pr925.m26 1997
- ✓ Explore English essays, history and criticism
- ✓ Explore Literature and society--england--history--18th century
- ✓ Explore Fashion--history
Topics
Details
- Published
- 1997
- Publisher
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- ISBN-10
- 0801855888
- Pages
- 303
- Language
- EN
- LC Classification
- PR925.M26 1997
