History of Fashion and Style Online Short Course

Course description

On this introductory fashion history course you will discover the key moments in Western dress history and theory over 200 years from the French Revolution through to the 1990s, with a focus on the social, political and economic backdrop to fashion.

This course includes

• Extravagant 18th century court fashions and the politics of clothing during the Revolution
• 19th century haute couture and the changing silhouette, dress reform movements and mourning etiquette
• The tailoring traditions of Savile Row
• The modernist look of the 1920s flapper and how shifting ideas about gender have informed fashion design
• The rise of Hollywood and the impact on fashions in the 1930s 
• Exploring the myths of 1940s austerity styles, and the post-war romance of Dior's 'New Look'
• The explosion of postwar youth culture and the legacy of street style
• Approaches to fashion curation
• Exploration of the cyclical nature of styles in culture and fashion history
• Illustrated lectures, videos and discussions
• Time for students to conduct their own historical research and present to the class

All our Online Short Courses include:

• Live online lessons with the same tutors
• The same course content and learning outcomes
• Lesson recordings, for review
• Access to VLE with course content
• Forums for support
• 2 weeks online access
• Certificate upon completion

Please note that all courses are taught in UK time.