Dress, Law, and Dissent
Wilde and his Followers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4454/syn.v5.1195Keywords:
Wilde, Dress, Law, Equality, DissentAbstract
At a time when respectability was a crucial parameter for defining social identity, and outward appearance mirrored morality and social status, Wilde challenged the rules not only in the field of dress but also in the juridical domain. Given that dress and laws are closely interwoven, it becomes apparent that Wilde’s image managed to convey a sense of discontent with the late nineteenth-century societal rules that tended to circumscribe male and female identities, as well as rights. Although his popularity as a dandy is inextricably bound up with his eccentric style, Wilde’s writings devoted to apparel and fashion seem to have been overlooked. This paper consequently draws attention to his articles on dress, in particular “The Philosophy of Dress” and his experience as editor for The Woman’s World. The aim is to explore Wilde’s intervention in the debate on fashion and clothing in the late Victorian age and its implications for gender equality. It will be shown that Wilde’s views on the intersections between art, beauty, dress, and fashion anticipated contemporary pop music icons’ discontent in the face of gender stereotypes.
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