Fashion and Jazz

Born in the late 19th century jazz gained mainstream popularity during a volatile period of racial segregation and gender inequality. It was in these adverse conditions that jazz performers discovered the power of dress as a visual tool used to defy mainstream societal constructs shaping a new fashion and style aesthetic. <i>Fashion and Jazz</i> is the first study to identify the behaviours signs and meanings that defined this newly evolving subculture. <br/><br/>Drawing on fashion studies and cultural theory the book provides an in-depth analysis of the social and political entanglements of jazz and dress with individual chapters exploring key themes such as race class and gender. Including a wide variety of case studies ranging from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to Louis Armstrong and Chet Baker it presents a critical and cultural analysis of jazz performers as modern icons of fashion and popular style. <br/><br/>Addressing a number of previously underexplored areas of jazz culture such as modern dandyism and the link between drug use and glamorous dress <i> Fashion and Jazz</i> provides a fascinating history of fashion's dialogue with African-American art and style. It is essential reading for students of fashion cultural studies African-American studies and history.