WOMEN IN CLOTHES

BY: MAEGAN J ​

​Women in Clothes is a survey-style fashion tome edited by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, and Leanne Shapton. I came across this book three years ago and it immediately became a very pivotal book for me in my fashion journey. What I love about Women in Clothes is that there are no aspirational quotes from designers or tastemakers and no advice on how to achieve a timeless style. Instead, Women in Clothes leans into exploring clothing as self-hood, clothing as armor, and clothing as a means to both reveal and conceal. 
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Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, and Leanne Shapton

​The premise of the entire book is simple: the three writers sought to fill a void in the fashion world by asking a multitude of women from different economic backgrounds, ages, professions, and even gender expressions, questions about what they thought about clothing and getting dressed. Some of the questions include: “What is your process for getting dressed in the morning?” “What are you considering?” “Do you think you have taste or style?” “What do those words mean to you?” “What sorts of things do you do, clothing - or make up - or hair -wise, to feel sexy or alluring?”

The answers are varied, surprising, and hysterical, but most of all they are extremely vulnerable and human. In addition to the survey responses, the book is interspersed with short stories, photos of clothing collections submitted from different women, and clothing “experiments”. In one of my favorite clothing experiments, entitled Thirty-Six Women, artist Miranda July photographed six women wearing one another’s favorite outfits.

Thirty Six Women, a clothing experiment by Miranda July. Six Strangers try on each other’s favorite outfits.

Tania Van Spyk's dress set collection.

​Those of you interested in street fashion will find this book to be a welcome addition to your personal library. Women in Clothes manages to discuss fashion from an anthropological perspective without getting bogged down by jargon. Rather than quoting fashion professionals, Women in Clothes avoids making this book aspirational and instead offers a refreshing take on personal style and the cultural significance of clothing. If you are fascinated by why people wear what they wear and what they are trying to communicate to the outside world with their outfits, then this book is definitely for you.

Bonus Content:

• Check out this interview with the editors of Women in Clothes on Flavorwire. They get into the nitty gritty of what inspired the book.
• Good Taste/Bad Taste: The Evolution of Contemporary Chic – A moderated discussion on personal style and taste with style icons Iris Apfel and Tavi Gevison that took place at The Met in June 2012. Both guests discuss how their personal style developed and how that relates to the fashion industry. 

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Maegan J 
Maegan J is a wardrobe stylist, costume designer for Soft Cage films and contributor to THE FASHION MAP.

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More from THE FASHION MAP:

The fashion exhibition Levi Strauss: A History of American Style is on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, California through August 9, 2020. The museum is currently closed due to COVID-19 but The Fashion Map was fortunate to view the exhibition right before the museum closed. We present a media gallery of over 70 photos of the exhibition.

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TRAVEL WITH THE FASHION MAP is a new blog and podcast series to be hosted by THE FASHION MAP. Museums may be closed, but this series gives curators a platform to share a glimpse into their exhibition. With each interview, we take our community on a virtual journey to fashion exhibitions around the world.

Want your fashion exhibition featured? CLICK HERE.

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