Anthropology 269
Fashion and Consumption
Spring 2009

Study Guide Questions for Readings
February 27 (F) - March 13 (F)

Read: Tarlo, Clothing Matters chap. 1-6, 8

1. Why, according to Tarlo, is the problem of what to wear of profound importance? What social, political, economic, cultural, and historical factors make this decision so difficult?

2. What were British attitudes toward Indian dress? What motivated Indian men to adopt European fashions? What discouraged them from doing so?

3. What messages did Gandhi intend to communicate through dress at various points in his life? How were these messages interpreted by others? What does this suggest to you about the advantages and disadvantages of using clothing as a means to convey political ideas?

4. What happened in the "cardigan incident"? What does it reveal about the relationships between men, women, clothing, caste, and region?

5. How have the different Gujarati castes described by Tarlo responded differently to the potential for changing dress? Which groups are more conservative? Which are more progressive? How can we make sense of these differences?

6. How is the dilemma of what to wear different for women than for men? How do concerns about status, caste, region, religion, and family shape this dilemma? What scope for agency do women have in dress?

 

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