Streetstyle: From Sidewalk to Catwalk [Paperback]

Ted Polhemus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1994

This is an up-beat look at street fashion from 1940 to today, celebrating some 40 different styletribes, which will accompany a major exhibition on Streetstyle at the Victoria and Albert Museum in November 1994. We see how the styletribes interweave and evolve - the American Modernists of the early 1950s living on in the English Mods of the early 1960s, who became the Hard Mods, then the Skinheads, then the Ois!; while the 1950s Folkies became first the 1970s Hippies and then the New Age Travellers of the 1980s and 1990s. But for today's fashion-conscious young people, this is not all ancient history: Streetstyle offers the 1990s fashion world a supermarket of styles from which to pick and mix. Anyone is free to be part Beatnik, part Raver, or part Punk, part Grunge; Goths one day and Indie Kids the next. More than 200 illustrations, including 100 in colour, document the styles and their wearers - on the street, but also on the high-fashion catwalk, to which streetstyle has made an enormous, if perhaps unwilling, contribution. Ted Polhemus's many books include "Fashion and Anti Fashion", "Popstyles", "Social Aspects of the Human Body", "Bodystyles" and "Rituals of Love". He is the external curator of the Streetstyle exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

If you thought punk was dead--well, look again! From side street and main street to TV and film, from CD covers to sidewalk lovers, it's everywhere, this time incorporated into the larger social menu as another optional lifestyle--streetstyle. Polhemus provides an informative, concise, lively rundown of all its major substyles, from those of zooties and hip cats to those of New Age travelers and acid jazz fans. They're all here, fully illustrated and, best of all, fun. So set aside personal prejudices, pretend you're from another planet, and marvel at the human ability to express individuality. Ra{£}ul Ni{¤}no

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 050027794X
• ISBN-13: 978-0500277942
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book. Focus more on style tribe lifestyle than style, July 18, 2011

By 

Kennesha "I'm 22 years old" (Dallas Tx) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Streetstyle: From Sidewalk to Catwalk (Paperback)

This is a good book breaks down each style tribe and their lifestyle of choice. My only complaint, I wish this book break down (on both genders) where are their signature fashion pieces, hairstyles, make up, accessories, and shoes that they wear like, "The Looks Book [Paperback], Esther Drill (Author), Heather McDonald (Author), Rebecca Odes (Author)" demonstrates it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Street style: from Sidewalk to Catwalk, July 18, 2010

By 

Principessa - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Streetstyle: From Sidewalk to Catwalk (Paperback)

Anyone who truly loves fashion, and is interested in the history, heritage and inspiration of it, has to read Ted Polhemus' books. He gives a down-to-earth, knowledgable insight into trends.

5.0 out of 5 stars Street Fashion Bible, April 19, 2010

By 

Avril Skye (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Streetstyle: From Sidewalk to Catwalk (Paperback)

I'm a fashion merchandising student and was so glad to find a copy of this book. It is extremely well written and legitimately documented to the extent that my best professors use it as a teaching source. It has become my bible for understanding and referencing the history of alternative fashions and for tracing how they become mainstream. I hope that the author will update it to an edition that includes street fashions from the late nineties up until now. However, it's interesting to note that the alternative styles from the early 90's highlighted in the book have become the mainstream styles of today. This book will never lose its relevancy.