By Susan B. Kaiser The “trickle-down” theory offers a straightforward way of predicting fashion diffusion: a hierarchical process whereby individuals with high status establish fashion trends, only to be imitated by lower-status individuals wearing cheaper versions of the styles. Subsequently, … Continue reading →

By Katalin Medvedev Display of wealth through dress became customary in Europe in the late thirteenth century. Therefore, a person’s class affiliation could be assessed with relative ease. Because dress was recognized as an expressive and a potent means of … Continue reading →