During Nick's lecture this morning, we learnt about the history of jeans and how cultural text (e.g. art, clothes, film etc.) can reflect the culture in which it is created. I'm really interested in the fashion industry, so I found it fascinating to look back through the ages and see how jeans have developed, alongside the advertising that goes with them. One of my favourite pieces of clothing is my red corduroy jacket and I think this represents my personality well. Through the decades, corduroy has gone in and out of fashion, and there are still many mixed views on the material. Corduroy was originally a well liked fabric due to it's durability, warmth and it's fast drying quality. However, by the Victorian times it was associated with the working man's uniform, consequently being mass produced across America and Europe, appearing as the 'poor man's velvet'. Years later, corduroy was common in most uniforms, and in the 1920s and 30s, was seen as fashionable in suits, jackets, trousers, caps etc. and was therefore being worn not only for workwear, but for the modern age as well. Since the 1950s, cord hasn't been associated with certain social classes and is now worn by all.
I think currently and over the last couple years cord has been very popular, particularly in jackets or shirts. I own a few cord items myself and my Mum often talks about how she wore the same things when she was my age. Despite having history of being durable and practical, I would probably disagree as it isn't the most practical for living in the UK as it rains the majority of the time. I bought my jacket from Pretty Little Thing, which was drastically cheaper as opposed to other brands such as Levi's. To me this highlights the way this is mass produced now and is an easy fabric to get hold of. Although, there is definitely a difference in quality as Levi's are much thicker and more durable. Due to the ever-changing opinions on cord however, I was happy to compromise with the cheaper version as in a couple years it will probably be out of fashion again. My jacket also has a frayed edge, which shows how cord adapts to the current trends, allowing it to be worn as an every day piece. I do wear a lot of neutral coloured clothing, so I like to wear jackets or shoes which stand out a bit more and provide boldness to an outfit, which is why I love wearing this jacket so much.
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Ailsa ForresterIllustration student at the University of Cumbria. Archives
December 2019
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