Background Information

The central focus of this study is power symbols in fashion and the formation of meaning around these symbols. Previous studies have addressed the complex meaning of the word power and have explored power in relation to self-expression. The Museum at FIT proposes that there are five central themes of power dressing, these are: miliary uniforms, status dresses, suits, resistance, and sex (Bobb). Each of these themes can be attributed to the idea of situation power that differs in varying social contexts. My research on power symbols fits primarily into the category of status dressing, as the Royal Family serves as the highest leisure class. Thorstein Veblen claims that the highest leisure classes, such as the Royal Family, use dresses to exclude members of lower social classes and command applaud or mortification (Veblen). The idea of spatial segregation results from the social spaces that exist between hierarchies. These social spaces are formed through distinctions between groups of people that arise from distribution of resources and lifestyles. Symbolic objects such as dress may be used to establish one’s role within a social space. The symbolic power that these objects hold can be defined as the power to reveal things that are already there (Bourdieu). The meaning of the symbols depends on the context in which they exist (Pratt). Throughout history, portraiture has been used as a mechanism to convey power, wealth, importance, authority, virtue, status, or power. Portraiture can be traced back to Ancient Egypt and Rome, which in both cases was used to memorialize a subject and capture a likeness (What's in a Face?). Specifically in Ancient Rome, portraiture was used as a form of commemoration and to draw attention to a person’s lineage when one died. Portraiture serves as a window into one’s life and represents the intersection of portraits, biography and history (Pound). These ideas of portraiture and power symbols serve as the foundation of knowledge for my study, and I will refer back to them throughout my research.