ABSTRACT

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. Dress – the book argues – was not a purely personal matter. Indeed, sartorial practices support Robert Connell’s contention that ‘personal life and collective social arrangements … are linked in a fundamental and constitutive way’. In the book, the most notable example of a shift in opinion was provided by the upheaval of the First World War, and the at least temporary discrediting of some forms of civilian attire including some of the elements of 'gentlemanly' dress in favour of military uniforms. And not just the glamorous service dress of officers in elite regiments, but also the mass-produced and often ill-fitting khaki uniforms of the ranks. Conformity, the book has stressed, was ultimately enforced by the use of ridicule, verbal abuse and even physical violence. However, this should not lead us to underestimate the importance of willing – even enthusiastic – consent.