Defining the Contours of Dress Studies

2021 Dress and Body Association Conference

October 29-30, 2021

Although scholars who engage with ‘fashion studies’ have tended to focus on clothing, the concept of dress studies is more broad. Dress includes supplements like hats and jewelry as well as practices that change the body such as hairstyling, dentistry, and surgical procedures.  Our ideals of beauty and desirability are impacted by culture and change over time.

Our approaches to studying dress are also shaped by our disciplines. Jewelry is made by artists, but new clothing is created by designers. Cosmetic surgery is performed by doctors. Fragrances are created by highly-trained ‘noses.’ Depending on the material, a hat might be created by a basket-maker, a milliner, or a prop artist. The histories and social meanings of these practices speak to an array of disciplines.

For the 2021 Dress and Body Association’s conference, we are excited to announce that Lauren Downing Peters, researcher at the Centre for Fashion Studies at Stockholm University, will give the opening Keynote. In addition, to our panels of presenters for the two-day conference, we are enthusiastic to share that we offer a Virtual Cafe for breaks between presentations with a monitor who can place people in breakout rooms for conversations and networking.

Dress & Body Mission Statement

“Dress” is a highly inclusive concept that includes all varieties of body supplements and body modifications* found in human cultures around the world. It is not limited to clothing, costume, or fashion or to any particular time, place, or economic structure. The mission of the Dress and Body Association (DBA) is to bring together scholars from diverse disciplines and areas of the world to share academic research about dress and body practices, to offer quality opportunities for networking, and to forge links with like-minded individuals and organizations.

Dress and Body Association Mission Statement, 2020
Heather M. Akou Indiana University
Therèsa M. Winge Michigan State University

Vendors at the 2021 Dress and Body Association Conference:

Intellect: https://www.intellectbooks.com/

Grimalkin Editing: https://www.grimalkinediting.com/

SCHEDULE

Friday, October 29th

8:15 US (EST)  Welcome

8:30 US (EST)  Keynote lecture by Lauren Downing Peters

10:00 US (EST)  Panel 1: Recognizing Resistance

12:00 US (EST)  Panel 2: Costuming Cultures

2:30 US (EST)  Virtual café

Saturday, October 30th

7:00 US (EST)  Virtual café

8:00 US (EST)  Panel 3: Complicating Representations

10:00 US (EST)  Panel 4: Time and Temporality

12:00 US (EST)  Panel 5: Performing Gender

2:00 US (EST)  Virtual café