Fashion - Philosophy for Everyone Thinking with Style

by Allhoff, Fritz; Wolfendale, Jessica; Kennett, Jeanette; Baumgardner, Jennifer

• ISBN13: 9781444345568
• ISBN10: 1444345567
• Edition: 1st
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2011-09-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

If you just can't decide what to wear, this enlightening guide will lead you through the diverse and sometimes contradictory aspects of fashion in a series of lively, entertaining and thoughtful essays from prominent philosophers and writers.

• A unique and enlightening insight into the underlying philosophy behind the power of fashion
• Contributions address issues in fashion from a variety of viewpoints, including aesthetics, the nature of fashion and fashionability, ethics, gender and identity politics, and design
• Includes a foreword by Jennifer Baumgardner, feminist author, activist and cultural critic, editor of Ms magazine (1993-7) and regular contributor to major women's magazines including Glamour and Marie-Claire

Author Biography

Editors
Jessica Wolfendale is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at West Virginia University, and perhaps a little too fond of vintage clothing. She is the author of Torture and the Military Profession (2007) and has published extensively on the ethics of torture, military ethics, and applied ethics.

Jeanette Kennett is Professor of Moral Psychology at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. She is the author of Agency and Responsibility (2001) and has published widely on topics including empathy, addiction, self-control, , advertising, and love and friendship.

Series Editor
Fritz Allhoff is an Associate Professor in the Philosophy Department at Western Michigan University, as well as a Senior Research Fellow at The Australian National University's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. In addition to editing the Philosophy for Everyone series, Allhoff is also the volume editor or co-editor for several titles, including Wine & Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), Whiskey & Philosophy (with Marcus P. Adams, Wiley, 2009), and Food & Philosophy (with Dave Monroe, Wiley-Blackwell, 2007). His academic research interests engage various facets of applied ethics, ethical theory, and the history and philosophy of science.

Table of Contents

Foreword (Jennifer Baumgardner).

Acknowledgments.

Introduction (Jessica Wolfendale and Jeanette Kennett).

PART 1 BEING FASHIONABLE AND BEING COOL.

1 What Makes Something Fashionable? (Anya Farennikova and Jesse Prinz).

2 Fashion, Illusion, and Alienation (Nick Zangwill).

3 Tryhards, Fashion Victims, and Effortless Cool (Luke Russell).

PART 2 FASHION, STYLE, AND DESIGN.

4 The Aesthetics of Design (Andy Hamilton).

5 Share the Fantasy: Perfume Advertising, Fashion, and Desire (Cynthia A. Freeland).

6 Computational Couture: From Cyborgs to Supermodels (Ada Brunstein).

PART 3 FASHION, IDENTITY, AND FREEDOM.

7 Wearing Your Values on Your Sleeve (Daniel Yim).

8 Fashion and Sexual Identity, or Why Recognition Matters (Samantha Brennan).

9 Slaves to Fashion? (Lauren Ashwell and Rae Langton).

10 Fashion Dolls and Feminism: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Barbie? (Louise Collins).

PART 4 CAN WE BE ETHICAL AND FASHIONABLE?

11 Sweatshops and Cynicism (Matthew F. Pierlott).

12 Women Shopping and Women Sweatshopping: Individual Responsibility for Consumerism (Lisa Cassidy).

13 A Taste for Fashion (Marguerite La Caze).

Notes on Contributors.