Shop top categories that ship internationally
Similar items shipping to Canada
CA
Canada
See All Buying Options
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Valerie Steele
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Fetish: Fashion, Sex & Power 58499th Edition

by Valerie Steele (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 54 ratings
See all formats and editions
Kinky boots, corsets, underwear as outerwear, second-skin garments of rubber and leather, uniforms, body piercing.... Today everything from a fetishist's dream appears on the fashion runways. Although some people regard fetish fashion as exploitative and misogynistic, others interpret it as a positive Amazonian statement--couture Catwoman. But the connection between fashion and fetishism goes far beyond a few couture collections. For the past thirty years, the iconography of sexual fetishism has been increasingly assimilated into popular culture. Before Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman, there was Mrs. Peel, heroine of the 1960s television show "The Avengers," who wore a black leather catsuit modeled on a real fetish costume. Street styles like punk and the gay "leatherman" look also testify to the influence of fetishism.
The concept of fetishism has recently assumed a growing importance in critical thinking about the cultural construction of sexuality. Yet until now no scholar with an in-depth knowledge of fashion history has studied the actual clothing fetishes themselves. Nor has there been a serious exploration of the historical relationship between fashion and fetishism, although erotic styles have changed significantly and "sexual chic" has become increasingly conspicuous.
Cultural historian Valerie Steele has devoted much of her career to the study of the relationship between clothing and sexuality, and is uniquely qualified to write this book. Marshalling a dazzling array of evidence from pornography, psychology, and history, as well as interviews with individuals involved in sexual fetishism, sadomasochism, and cross-dressing, Steele illuminates the complex relationship between appearance and identity. Based on years of research, her book Fetish: Fashion, Sex & Power explains how a paradigm shift in attitudes toward sex and gender has given rise to the phenomenon of fetish fashion.
"Steele is to fetish dressing what Anne Rice is to vampires," writes Christa Worthington of Elle magazine, "the intellectual interpreter of...wishes beyond our ken." According to Steele, fetishism shows how human sexuality is never just a matter of doing what comes naturally; fantasy always plays an important role. Steele provides provocative answers to such questions as: Why is black regarded as the sexiest color? Is fetishizing the norm for males? Does fetish fashion reflect a fear of AIDS? And why do so many people love shoes?
Previous slide of product details
  1. ISBN-10
    9780195115796
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0195115796
  3. Edition
    58499th
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    July 31, 1997
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    10.09 x 7.01 x 0.59 inches
  8. Print length
    280 pages
  9. See all details
Next slide of product details
Books%20with%20Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Because this is Valerie Steele's second book on the topic of fetishistic clothing, her opening statements that she is an outsider to the paraphilias and perversions that she discusses seems a bit hollow. When she says that she is only "a cultural historian specializing in fashion" there's no need to fear: while the book is rigorously researched and loaded with valuable bibliographic references to previous researchers in the area, it's apparent that underneath her cool prose Steele really gets a kick out of her subject, if only on an intellectual level. Dividing her book into sections based on the various fetishes (corsets, shoes, second-skin fabrics, underwear), Steele shows a remarkable facility with the history and trivia of each item of clothing. This produces some amusing juxtapositions, such as when she reveals little-known information about the Chinese practice of footbinding, and a page later presents a Tom of Finland picture of a nude man surrounded by motorcycle-booted feet. There are plenty of drawings and photographs here, ostensibly to supplement the reading. Photos range from 19th-century Viennese ultra-high-heeled shoes to contemporary neo- gothic hipster chicks in corsets and leather. This is obviously not a book for children, but it's also far more than a collection of erotica in that it presents an informative and well-researched history of fetishism and the theories that have been put forward to explain it.

Review


"Steele has, once again, written a--no pun intended--masterful study."--Richard Martin, Curator, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art




"Steele has, once again, written a--no pun intended--masterful study."--Richard Martin, Curator, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art



"Steele has, once again, written a--no pun intended--masterful study."--Richard Martin, Curator, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0195115791
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 58499th edition (July 31, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780195115796
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195115796
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.09 x 7.01 x 0.59 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Valerie Steele

Valerie Steele

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
54 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • BernieM
    5.0 out of 5 stars The under-belly of Miss Sally Bowles...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    A good reference for anyone whose work involves writing about the inter-war years in Berlin or has an interest in the realities underlying the world of Sally Bowles - or, indeed, of her creator Christopher Isherwood. The cross-dressing, the sexual ambiguity, the sado-masochism both implied and enacted. A serious book for the serious reader/researcher. Condition good. Price realistic. Well packed and reasonably punctually delivered.
    Report
  • Eva Hompoth
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on February 28, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I love the perspective she is writing from. I wanted to know the psychology behind the fetish dressing.
    Report
  • Arrakis
    3.0 out of 5 stars Pas assez fouillé.
    Reviewed in France on July 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Le livre se lit assez bien et présente un panorama assez large du fétichisme et de sa réappropriation ludique et esthétique par la mode. Mais l'auteur ne fait qu'effleurer son sujet. Valerie Steele ne nous donne ni une véritable histoire sociale du fétichisme, en en reconstruisant minutieusement toutes les causes et les aléas, ni une étude psycho-sociale approfondie. Tout reste un peu superficiel. Cela demeure une intéressante introduction. Mais pas plus.
    Report
  • lali
    3.0 out of 5 stars Bel riassunto, ma poche foto in b/n per giunta sfuocate
    Reviewed in Italy on February 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Questo libro è un discorso generico sullo stile fetish nella moda, ci sono esempi risalenti alla fine dell'800 e inizi '900, specialmente per quanto riguarda i corsetti, ma anche esempi da Thierry Mugler, quindi da sfilate di alta moda. Purtroppo non è molto dettagliato, a volte i discorsi sono generici e a volte invece va troppo nel dettaglio senza mostrare fotogradie che provino l'esempio. Ecco, le fotografie... Sono tutte in bianco e nero e sono sfuocate, non si capisce bene cosa mostrano a volte. Per un libro con questo prezzo mi aspettavo molto altro e ne sono delusa. Secondo me poi sono affrontati pochi indumenti, che sono i classici conosciuto da tutti superficialmente come cose fetish: corsetti, lingerie, scarpe. Tutto qua. Poi si parla sia di pelle sia di latex. Ma lì finisce. Forse come lavoro è un po' datato e l'autrice dovrebbe rivederlo, aggiornarlo, ampliarlo e farne un'edizione magari più costosa ma con foto decenti stavolta.
    Ho dato 3 stelle perché comunque è un lavoro interessante, ma poteva fare molto meglio.
    Report
  • Jinnie Roche
    1.0 out of 5 stars mauvais état
    Reviewed in France on November 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Livre arrivé avec la couverture toute pliée..Decevant
    Report