Are Clothes Modern? An Essay on Contemporary Apparel
Published Jan. 1 1947
This book is a complete departure from the conventional notion that apparel is but one of the eternally puzzling phenomena of life; that it is created by forces unfathomably obscure and beyond our control; and that dress is merely distilled from the remnants of other epochs--a belief which is so dear to museum directors and fashion writers.
Rejecting these ideas, the author induces the reader to think for himself rather than to swallow information. He demonstrates that our present-day dress is the perfect expression of our civilization; and less flattering evidence was seldom presented. Mr. Rudofsky reminds us that we smugly accept the stupidity of our clothes because we shy away from an insight into the problems of human work, leisure and happiness. The author mercilessly assails the superstitions and conventions by which we are bound, and clarifies the principles which should govern clothing in a modern age.
Obviously, Are Clothes Modern? is no treatise on historic costume, on pattern making or merchandising. Though it digresses necessarily into historical and psychological matters, it is written for the adult reader whether he be professionally interested in present-day clothing, or merely intrigued by its social and ethical aspects.
Contents:
11 Are clothes modern?
15 Topography of modesty
51 The unfashionable human body
89 Does the pipe fit the face?
115 Clothes in our time
137 Cut and dry goods
155 Sartoriasis, or the enjoyment of discomfort
177 Dress reform and reform dress
195 The poor man's esthetics
222 Invocation of democracy
238 Text references
Sourced from MOMA Catalogue
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