Print this page The Things We Do for Fashion

Fashion has always reflected more than clothing—it tells us about beauty, status, identity and the pressures of the societies in which people lived. This entertaining course explores some of history's most extraordinary fashions, from restrictive corsets and hobble skirts to poisonous cosmetics, elaborate wigs and other surprising trends. Along the way, participants will discover how fashion has influenced health, social expectations and cultural values, while considering whether today's fashions are really so different. A fascinating blend of social history, design and human behaviour.

DELIVERY MODE

Hybrid (Face to face and online simultaneously)

COURSE RESOURCES

• Karolina Zebrowska, (2025) The Encyclopedia of Ugly fashion – A Hilarious Introspective of History’s Best Worst Fashion Trends, Page Street Publishing
• https://teyxo.com/lifestyle/the-craziest-fashion-trends-throughout-history/
• “You Have to Suffer for Fashion" An investigation into how the body has been distorted through the cut and construction of fashionable clothing
• https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/110957/ 

COURSE OUTLINE

• Definition of what is fashion
• Explain
  • An overview of the beauty norms across different periods
  • The underlying drivers such as social hierarchy, affluence, gender relations, innovation, and social change that influence fashion
• Discuss categories of fashion trends
  • Health and physical changes to the body
  • Status
  • Fashion forward 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand the different beauty norms across different historical periods
• Identify three categories of fashion trends
• Identify examples of the various fashion trends