Summary Of Clothing In The Ewens Channels Of Desire

Images of class lines being clearly visible because of the difference in people's way of dress have always been prevalent in society. Even before the days of regal aristocracy framed by gaudy, over-the-top clothing, dress has always been an easy way of telling the "haves", from the "have-nots". However, discrepancies in attire do not only fall along class lines, the practically of dress also has had bold gender divides as well.
The chapter, Fashion and Democracy in the Ewens' Channels of Desire highlights how clothing has served as a way of classifying the working class from their more privileged counterparts. As early as the 1800s, blue jeans had become a staple part of the working man's wardrobe. The clothing item screamed practicality and uniformity. Jeans or dungarees were "loose and ill-fitting" and are described as being "mass-produced for men separated from their homes" (Ewens 76). This shows that there were both positive and negative aspects associated with the garment. On the positive side, they showed that a man had a job and therefore, spent a great deal of his time trying to provide for his family. On the negative end of the spectrum, the dungarees men wore were all very similar and somewhat stripped them of a sense of
The practice of Chinese foot binding is brought to light in the chapter. This is a practice in which, from a young age, girls feet are bound and essentially, mangled as a means of maintaining smaller feet and subsequently remain more "feminine." This act cripples women's feet and only allows them to take "slow, mincing steps" which binds them to their household and domestic labor. The text also points out that women were not expected to wear underwear. This lack of undergarment was meant as a way of restricting their mobility and (like foot binding) made it so they would stay at home and care for their children and