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Fashion influences how we view other people and how we view ourselves. Find out what we wore and why we wore it in The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing in American History - Twentieth Century to the Present. This fascinating reference set provides descriptions of styles of clothes that men, women, and children have worn in the U.S. since 1900, and, as important, why they wore them. In addition to chapters describing fashion trends and types of clothes, this work examines the impact that cultural history has on fashion and how fashion may serve as an impetus for change in society. With volume one covering 1900-1949 and volume two covering 1950 to the present, the first half of each volume provides four chapters that examine the impact that political and cultural events, arts and entertainment, daily life, and family structures have on cultural life and fashion. The second half of each volume describes the important and everyday fashion and styles of the period, decade by decade, for women, men, and children. The set also includes helpful timelines; resource guides of web sites, videos, and print publications; an extensive glossary; and illustrations. "Fashion" is not for the exclusive use of the social elite and the rich, nor can it be simply dismissed as just showing off. We use fashion to express who we are and what we think, to project an image, to bolster our confidence, and to attract partners. Research for this reference set was conducted through numerous primary and secondary resources on fashion and history and covers topics both profound and more lighthearted, such as--

The influence of the Great Depression on fashion

How the fashion industry has communicated with the public, from the 1900s through the 2000s

How ethnic looks got started

The disappearance of gloves and hats from female fashion

What men wore to work in the 1970s

Michael Jackson's popularization of leather jackets with zippers and chains

The origin of the baggy pants look for boys and young men

The women's movement's effects on fashion Pictures, extensive glossaries, and timelines help bring all of this information into sharper focus. Resource guides featuring print materials, Web sites, and videos offer selected works for further research and inquiry. A comprehensive general bibliography also provides a large number of publications essential to the study of clothing and social history in the U.S. from 1900 to the present.