A Rakish History of Menswear at NYPL

[chorse123]

A Rakish History of Men's Wear

This exhibition surveys men's dress from antiquity to the present, noting how through the centuries male style has swung from ostentation to restraint and back again. Masculine clothing has changed over time owing to a multitude of social, economic, and attitudinal transformations. At first, individuals chose garments that proclaimed their rank or special status as warriors and leaders. Later, sumptuary laws (restricting what could and could not be worn), chivalric codes, and the rituals of royal courts played a role in the development of masculine garments. By the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, male fashion leaders were admired both overtly and covertly. The growth of a new bourgeoisie in the late 18th century further influenced the outward expression of modern masculinity, as dandies took upon themselves the role of fashion leaders.

A Rakish History of Men's Wear examines such topics as the enduring elements of masculine high style, the influence of the dandy, factors that led to the genesis of the modern suit, and how contemporary casual dress derives from modern popular culture and gender stereotypes. Drawing mainly from materials in the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, the exhibition tells the story of men's dress with an emphasis on the social aspects of costume and fashion history.

From September 8, 2006 through April 7, 2007
Edna Barnes Salomon Room (Third Floor)
Humanities and Social Sciences Library, 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788 (directions)

http://nypl.org/research/calendar/ex...esc.cfm?id=429

Sounds interesting. I will certainly visit sometime this winter.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

there was also a tidbit about this on men.style.com.

It seems the "Black Suit for Office?" debate was actually settled quite some time ago:
Il Cortegiano, 1592: "This book advocated that the professional men of Urbino, Italy, only wear black when doing business because it was a way of showing your power"”the first time that someone thought to write that down."