Behind the counter at Cinderella Cleaners, Diana watches the clothes come and go. Then one day, Diana reaches into the pocket of a fancy coat and finds an invitation to a glittering gala in New York City. Original.

From African-American women's headwraps to beauty pageants in Swaziland, this absorbing book explores ethnicity through the frequently noticed but less often analyzed human phenomenon of dress. The authors -- ethnographers, folklorists, and textile scholars -- present case studies from around the world to illustrate their different theoretical frameworks and assumptions. In considering how the body is modified and supplemented they discuss not only garments and accessories but also hairstyles and cosmetics.

"A tribute to a time when style -- and maybe even life -- felt more straightforward, and however arbitrary, there were definitive answers." -- Sadie Stein, Paris Review As a glance down any street in America quickly reveals, American women have forgotten how to dress. We lack the fashion know-how we need to dress professionally and beautifully. In The Lost Art of Dress, historian and dressmaker Linda Przybyszewski reveals that this wasn't always true. In the first half of the twentieth century, a remarkable group of women -- the so-called Dress Doctors -- taught American women that knowledge, not money, was key to a beautiful wardrobe. They empowered women to design, make, and choose clothing for both the workplace and the home. Armed with the Dress Doctors' simple design principles -- harmony, proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis -- modern American women from all classes learned to dress for all occasions in ways that made them confident, engaged members of society. A captivating and beautifully illustrated look at the world of the Dress Doctors, The Lost Art of Dress introduces a new audience to their timeless rules of fashion and beauty -- rules which, with a little help, we can certainly learn again.

Illustrated throughout, this book examines the events within the Hmong American community to show how dress is used to transform gender construction and create positive images of African American and Hmong American youth.

I have never known love, but now I need this man's permission if I want to marry someone!? Mary Jane, a nurse in London, received bad news. Her grandfather, her only living relative, had had a heart attack. She rushed over to her grandfather on his deathbed when he introduced her to Fabian, a surgeon. He was worried about his granddaughter's future, so he chose him as her guardian and entrusted him with everything. Mary Jane, who was already independent as a nurse, had doubts about her guardian. I'm only 22 years old, why do I need a guardian? Fabian may look good, but he's so overwhelmingly intimidating.

In this middle-grade girl-power friendship story, perfect for fans of Moxie, an eighth grader starts a podcast to protest the unfair dress code enforcement at her middle school and sparks a rebellion. Now available in paperback! Molly Frost is FED UP... Because Olivia was yelled at for wearing a tank top. Because Liza got dress coded and Molly didn't, even though they were wearing the exact same outfit. Because when Jessica was pulled over by the principal and missed a math quiz, her teacher gave her an F. Because it's impossible to find shorts that are longer than her fingertips. Because girls' bodies are not a distraction. Because middle school is hard enough. And so Molly starts a podcast where girls can tell their stories, and before long, her small rebellion swells into a revolution. Because now the girls are standing up for what's right, and they're not backing down.

Dress Casual: How College Students Redefined American Style