The Dress of Women

Charlotte Perkins GilmanAuthor

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The Dress of Women presents Gilman's feminist sociological analysis of clothing in modern society. Gilman explores the social and functional basis for clothing, excavates the symbolic role of women's clothing in patriarchal societies, and, among other things, explicates the aesthetic and economic principles of socially responsible clothing design. Ultimately, the author concludes that harmful and degrading aspects of women's dress are amenable to reform if men and women will work together rationally to change the controlling institutional patterns of the society in which they live.
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a sepia-toned photographed portrait of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. She is wearing a dress with puffy shoulder fabric and a white collar. Her hair is dark and pulled back in a low bun. She is turned all the way to the right, so you only see her side profile. Photo Credit: Barry and Marble, San Francisco, 1895 from commons.wikimedia.org
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