Bloomsbury Academic Artifacts from American Fashion: The 20th Century in 50 Essential Objects (Daily Life through Artifacts)

Clothing and fashion accessories can serve as valuable primary sources for learning about our history. This unique book examines daily life in 20th-century America through the lens of fashion and clothing. This collection explores fashion artifacts from daily life to shed light on key aspects of the social life and culture of Americans in the 20th century. Artifacts from American Fashion covers forty-five essential articles of fashion or accessories, chosen to illuminate significant areas of daily life and history, including Politics, World Events, and War; Transportation and Technology; Home and Work Life; Art and Entertainment; Health, Sport, and Leisure; and Alternative Cultures, Youth, Ethnic, Queer, and Counter Culture. Through these artifacts, readers can follow the major events, social movements, cultural shifts, and technological developments that shaped our daily life in the U.S. A World War I soldier's helmet opens a vista onto the horrors of trench warfare during World War I, while the dress of a typical 1920's "flapper" speaks volumes about America women's changing role during Prohibition and the Jazz Age. Similarly, a homemade feedsack dress illuminates the world of the Great Depression, while the bikini ushers us into the Atomic Age. Here, such artificacts tell the story of twentieth-century daily life in America. Provides readers with an understanding of American history through artifacts of clothing Offers readers the option to read self-contained entries individually or in chronological order for a unique perspective of a given decade from multiple points of view Shows how clothing can be used as an educational tool to understand the real-life experiences of peoples of the past Presents hard facts and information on complex topics like war and politics, as well as entertainment histories Ties large historical events and movements to individuals living in those times, both famous and "everyday" Review "Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; students in technical programs; general readers." - Choice About the Author Heather Vaughan Lee is a historian, author, lecturer, and museum consultant who has worked in the intersecting fields of clothing and history for the last 15 years.