Mass Culture

Directness of Signifier
• P. 297
• Costume has been representing sexuality by means
of a variety of ways such as selective exposure,
hiding, and the emphasis of erogenous zone, etc.
However, the recent trend prefers more direct
expression of sexuality to indirect physical exposure
which connotes sexuality. In the past, sexual body
line could be secretly exposed through design or
physical movement, and the breast would be
sexually focused with see-through fabrics. Now, the
direct representation of sexuality through signifier is
more strongly supported by the public.
 Symbolic Quality
• P. 300
• According to Flugel, some costume symbolizes sexu
al organ, and, on the whole, the symbolic quality of
costume is mostly associated with sexuality. He says
that feminine symbolic quality is represented by suc
h things as veil, girdle, garter, bracelet, jewelry; masc
uline symbolic quality is represented by hat, tie, coat
, color, button, pants, shoes, etc. Many designers like
to bestow the symbolic quality on a flower for wom
an, and a butterfly for man. In some cases, high-heel
ed shoes represent the fetishism-related symbolic qu
ality.
 Symbolic Quality 2
• P. 301
• John Galliano at his show exaggerates the sexual fe
male body, and achieves its humorous distortion. Ph
oto 6 expresses both internal and external femininity
by way of exaggeration technique in design. Typical l
ady-like image is represented with up-style hair and
flower-printed suit, on the other hand, vulgar image
based on internal sexual desire is represented with d
etailed exaggeration. Model looks like Pierrot(mask
performer) with her beauty spot, triangle-shape eyel
ashes, glistening pearl-powder-based make-up, etc.
Breast tugged up by corset and the padded shoulde
r and hip look exaggerated in the bigger size than r
eal.
 Quality of Usualness
• PP. 301-302
• Sexuality also reflected in usual look is regarded
as another change. Sportism and utility as rising
trends in the 1990s are more influential in the
expression of sexuality to create more daily and
practical images. Apart from the exaggeration-
based design which is characterized by exposure,
hiding, it is now getting involved in the
usualness of life. Free from the limitation of
lingerie and night dress, the expression is
extended into usual dress or sports wear with no
limitation of time and place.
 Sexual Identity

• ***Why do women need to be dressed in

mannish or neuter(Androgynous) mode t
o look sexier? Why don’t they try to max
imize their femininity by means of more
exaggerated feminine look?
 Sexual Identity 2
• PP. 305-306
• Rubinstein says that when female is dressed
in male costume, the mixture of femininity
and mannishness is felt to create the sense
of newness and satisfaction. According to
Markin, female in male costume is regarded
as a being free from fear of pregnancy, so
more easily bringing intimacy. In this manne
r, the male elements which is adopted in co
stume provokes the sense of unexpectedne
ss, newness, intimacy, and sexual attraction.
 Sexual Identity 3
• P. 308
• Neuter image in sexual identity issue is a
lso changing from mannish look to the n
ew look which contains both futuristic de
tails and images.
 Sexual Identity 4

• PP. 308-309
• Losing their aesthetic orientation, human body w
ith antenna of insects and everyday life permeat
ed by digital elements are portrayed in dark-ton
ed color without showing any ornament. Thus, n
ot female or male but digital human is suggeste
d as a being who will lead the future, and at the
same time, the aesthetic concern in the future wi
ll be more focused on the simple and digital mi
nd than the exaggerative and decorative mind.