This course traces the evolution of Western urban fashion, from its creation in the fourteenth century through the early stages of industrialization, focusing on the development of fashion as a contested area of social and self-identification. Issues to be closely examined include gender and political expression -- though initially a masculine gamble, fashion is defined as feminine and French by the end of this period -- as well as how dress defines morality and purity (including health, hygiene, and manners), the impact of technological innovations, the structure of labor (with particular focus on gender) and the influence of court and celebrity. For this early period, we rely on the primary sources of painting and sculpture, manuscripts and literature, dance and drama, always considering and grappling with the relationship between dress and art, and with critical reflection on the nature and study of fashion and its history. Readings include work by Norbert Elias, Susan Vincent and Jennifer Jones. Pathway: Fashion Studies