• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.56 no.9 s.109
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• pp.66-82
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• 2006

Clothes and human body are inseparably related. Aesthetic consciousness of the body determines the form of clothing, reflecting the time and culture as well as the individual and society. Clothes can even reorganize the meaning of the body, while transcending their instrumental functions of protecting, expanding and deforming the body. Using 'body' to analyze the clothing form, my study develops a framework by which to classify the representation of the body in fashion focusing on the representation of physicality. In order to inquire the formative style and aesthetic values expressed in representing body in fashion, my study examines subjects from the 14th century European costumes to fashion collections of the 20th century. In fashion, representation of the body is visually analogous to the ideal boily shape and structure, including a realistic presentation of the body as well as reflection of aesthetic ideals. Manipulation of physicality entails the reconstruction of the ideal body image through the clothes that modify physicality into unnatural body. Ruff collar, gigot sleeve, crinoline, bustle, stomacher, and corset were all used to materialize the fictitious curves symbolizing femininity, authority, healthiness, maternity, virginity, socioeconomic status, and fertility. Accentuating specific clothing parts represents emphasizing the symbolism of the correspondent body parts. Consequently, in this phase signifiant is $signifi\'{e}$. Aesthetic ideal of the body is visualized in the firm of a dress. Fashion continues to explore forms and images that transcend the traditional representations of the clothed body. As a type of intimate architecture, fashion always mediates the dialogue between clothes and body, or fashion and figure. My study suggests a framework to analyze bodily representation in fashion, focusing on the relationship between the clothes and body.