- Ad Women: How They Impact What We Need, Want, and Buy written by Juliann Sivulka
I know, I know: we don't have to say it out loud, but I went right
ahead and went off topic. Forgive me. For those who don't know,
this entire book will not focus solely on horror movies: as of now,
my research topics have been divided, quite simply, into
ART v. PORN
ART v. CENSORSHIP, and
PORN v. CENSORSHIP;
later on in my research frenzy, I plan on addressing sexuality
and gender as addressed by marketing teams. More pictures will
come in time--I'm ranting as it is--but my main focus originated with
Dov Charney (American Apparel) and Terry Richardson (freelance
fashion-sleaze photographer). With this book, as with the next few to be
listed, my focus is slipping over to how women impact the scene.
Because we'd all be lying to ourselves if we didn't give due
credit to the ladies. Remember the ladies, okay?
- Something in the Way She Moves: Dancing Women from Salome to Madonna written by Wendy Buonaventura
I am... not entirely sure what it is this book will be in response to,
as far as my project goes. Let's see how I can link this into my research...
How about this:
I will discuss porn culture, along with sex work in general, so
stripping (and how, of all the sex professions, this one in particular has become
so DIY, so integrated into both bedroom and social cultures alike) will surely
come up, and from there, I wanted to look into Burlesque. What is the difference
between Burlesque and Simply-Stripping? If it's a matter of art,
of humor, or self-awareness on behalf of Burlesque, then I'd like to look
further into dance as a sexual--and not necessarily literal SEX-centric--
art form. The art of tease, as it were. Since dance is really so focused
on the body as it is, so certainly it could be liked to gender and self-
expression of sexuality.
There. Told ya I could do it!
This, now, leads me to me latest revelation: Valerie Steele is kinda amazing. Whether or not shoes or pretty clothes hold you mesmerized as they do she, you'd be out of your mind to deny her contribution to the fashion world, and the analytical, feminist one, at that. She seems downright brilliant, and when fashion isn't off topic, I can't wait to read up on her work more. In the meantime, here are some of her selected books, that I will shamelessly sneak peaks into, in between scenes of slaughter and Michael Bay remakes. - The Corset: A Cultural History written by Valerie Steele
The punk in me is showing. And what about that cover isn't
gorgeous?
The book opens with:
"The corset is probably the most controversial garment in the entire
history of fashion,"
and that, right there, sold me. If I'm looking to address the sexual
provocation in fashion advertising, wouldn't it narrow-
minded to avoid the complete opposite: the uber-restrictiveness
of that garment we love to hate/hate to love--the Corset?
- The Red Dress written by Valerie Steele
This particular book discusses the topic of Red in actual fashion pieces
as well as what the color, as a color, means. Even if I can't fit this book into
my research, I'm curious to read this one.
- The History of Underclothes written by C. Willet Cunnington
Again, I don't necessarily hold out any serious hopes that this book will
severely change the course of my own book, but the synopsis
did make mention of some little-known (to me, at least) fashion curiosities,
like an early prototype for a men's corset. Hopefully I can find
some little snippets of info like that to plug in to the fashion section.
Who knows!
- Fashion Cultures: Theories, Explorations and Analysis/Fashion and Its Social Agendas: Class, Gender, and Identity in Clothing
/
These I group together, not because I'm lazy or they're really
a dime-a-dozen quality, but because they run alongside
the same theme. How that theme comes into play here...
fuck it, I'm too lazy to get into it.
This is everything, for now.
