Description
How does clothing represent aspects of self and culture?
Through our clothing, we share information about ourselves— we may buy an article of clothing because it aligns with a group we identify with, and we may choose an outfit because it makes us feel a certain way. Both of these are wrapped up in our culture, heritage, history, as well as affected by current societal ideas and trends. Thus, fashion becomes a language in itself, a visual shorthand for what we, personally as well as societally, are, or want to be, in a particular moment in time.
Through this series, students explore how the past has an effect on contemporary fashion– they learn about traditional styles, and how these styles can be intertwined with new ideas. They learn about the language of clothing — how colors, patterns, styles, and cuts can all represent both an explicit visual language, as well as a more oblique representation of changing ideas and trends, and feed into ideas of class. Students work through a series of projects creating hats, outfits, and shoes that incorporate the ideas above into their designs. Teachers are encouraged to choose at least one project to highlight in a fashion show or parade.
Each issue includes:
- 4 segments, designed to support learning around questions pertinent to our time.
- Contents which include:
- connections directly linked to ELA, Social Studies, or History.
- artwork and artist examples
- an art prompt or challenge
- connections directly linked to ELA, Social Studies, or History.
- Flexible delivery options, including ideas for teaching in-person and remotely
- Flexible material options
& Downloadable Teaching Supports:
- A copy of the publication in PDF form to easily print student handouts.
- Spanish translations of student handouts
- A separate file linking to artworks on museum and gallery sites
- Links to optional supplemental videos where applicable
- Printable rubrics and assessments
