Dandyism in the Age of Revolution

The Art of the Cut

Nonfiction, History, France, European General
Cover of the book Dandyism in the Age of Revolution by Elizabeth Amann, University of Chicago Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Elizabeth Amann ISBN: 9780226187396
Publisher: University of Chicago Press Publication: January 7, 2015
Imprint: University of Chicago Press Language: English
Author: Elizabeth Amann
ISBN: 9780226187396
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication: January 7, 2015
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Language: English

From the color of a politician’s tie, to exorbitantly costly haircuts, to the size of an American flag pin adorning a lapel, it’s no secret that style has political meaning. And there was no time in history when the politics of fashion was more fraught than during the French Revolution. In the 1790s almost any article of clothing could be scrutinized for evidence of one’s political affiliation. A waistcoat with seventeen buttons, for example, could be a sign of counterrevolution—a reference to Louis XVII—and earn its wearer a trip to the guillotine.

In Dandyism in the Age of Revolution, Elizabeth Amann shows that in France, England, and Spain, daring dress became a way of taking a stance toward the social and political upheaval of the period. France is the centerpiece of the story, not just because of the significance of the Revolution but also because of the speed with which its politics and fashions shifted. Dandyism in France represented an attempt to recover a political center after the extremism of the Terror, while in England and Spain it offered a way to reflect upon the turmoil across the Channel and Pyrenees. From the Hair Powder Act, which required users of the product to purchase a permit, to the political implications of the feather in Yankee Doodle’s hat, Amann aims to revise our understanding of the origins of modern dandyism and to recover the political context from which it emerged.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From the color of a politician’s tie, to exorbitantly costly haircuts, to the size of an American flag pin adorning a lapel, it’s no secret that style has political meaning. And there was no time in history when the politics of fashion was more fraught than during the French Revolution. In the 1790s almost any article of clothing could be scrutinized for evidence of one’s political affiliation. A waistcoat with seventeen buttons, for example, could be a sign of counterrevolution—a reference to Louis XVII—and earn its wearer a trip to the guillotine.

In Dandyism in the Age of Revolution, Elizabeth Amann shows that in France, England, and Spain, daring dress became a way of taking a stance toward the social and political upheaval of the period. France is the centerpiece of the story, not just because of the significance of the Revolution but also because of the speed with which its politics and fashions shifted. Dandyism in France represented an attempt to recover a political center after the extremism of the Terror, while in England and Spain it offered a way to reflect upon the turmoil across the Channel and Pyrenees. From the Hair Powder Act, which required users of the product to purchase a permit, to the political implications of the feather in Yankee Doodle’s hat, Amann aims to revise our understanding of the origins of modern dandyism and to recover the political context from which it emerged.

More books from University of Chicago Press

Cover of the book Dreams of Waking by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Disruptive Acts by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book The Gift of Death, Second Edition & Literature in Secret by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book The Body of Faith by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Mother Figured by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Inclusion by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Novel Science by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Why Ecology Matters by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Stuck in Place by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Evolutionary Theory by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book The Fire-Dwellers by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Money, Capital, and Fluctuations by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book The Hidden Wealth of Nations by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Rave On by Elizabeth Amann
Cover of the book Comeback by Elizabeth Amann
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy