Forum tackles history of fashion as societal mover

Your body is a battleground. This slogan is traditionally associated with the abortion rights movement, but it took on a new meaning at the Penn Humanities Forum's third event this year, "Style and the Fashioning of the Body." The event, originally to be held at 3619 Locust Walk, was relocated to Room 200 of College Hall, where an overwhelmingly large number of people registered for the event. Sociology Professor Diana Crane, Romance Languages Professor Caroline Weber and English Professor Peter Stallybrass each presented different topics related to fashion. More than 150 people -- many of whom were faculty and staff members -- crowded into the auditorium for the two-hour long lecture. Crane took the stage first and focused on the ever-changing fashion industry and preferences of fashion designers. "Who creates style and how does the public respond to style?" Crane asked at the beginning of her presentation. Utilizing several different slides, Crane pointed out the radical difference between the way models were photographed in 1947 and the manner in which they are depicted today. The emphasis has clearly shifted from the clothing to the body, meaning that scantily clad models are more the norm now than ever before. Crane also pointed out that the actual fashion industry has evolved drastically. There is no longer a unified trend in fashion; instead, she said, what used to be called "tendencies" are now known as trends. Next, Weber, who specializes in 18th century French literature and culture, concentrated solely on the fashion and politics of the famous Marie Antoinette. Throughout her life, Antoinette's clothing, hairstyles and mannerisms sparked scandal in all of Europe. She refused to wear corsets for several years and also insisted on riding horses "like a man." Marie Antoinette's body, Weber went on to explain, was truly a battleground, for Franco-Austrian relations depended on her marriage to King Louis XVI. Weber's many slides of Antoinette's quirky styles, including three feet high hairdos that resembled swans and famous French battles, elicited laughter from the crowd. And lastly, Stallybrass, a recipient of the prestigious Ira Abrams Memorial Award, presented an analysis of clothing as memory systems. Specifically, the professor discussed the myriad versions of the casting out of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Not all of the versions depict Adam and Eve in the same way. In some depictions, for instance, Adam and Eve are naked; in others, however, they have fig leaves covering their genitals; and in still others, they are covered with animal skins. All three professors said they were thrilled to be part of such a well-attended event. "I thought it was a terrific gathering," Weber said. "My colleagues' presentations and the comments from the audience taught me a lot."