Abstract
<jats:p>Did interpretations of Indigenous American dance and dance clothing affect couture in the 1920s and ideas about women’s political and personal empowerment?Drawing from online museum collections and cultural centers, author Laurie Stepp investigates vectors between evolving Indigenous Americandress, the American market for dance wear, and French couture. Elaborate conventions for women’s clothing were swept away in the 1920s and replaced with new codes, expressed in stance and silhouette, color, pattern, and line. How was this influenced by Euro-American interpretations of Native American cultures? How did clothing designed to move in reflect and reinforce the desire for political and personal empowerment for women of the time?Exploring the themes of Indigenous dance and fashion, feminism, and social structures, this book is ideal reading for students of Dress History, Dance History, Fashion, Indigenous Studies, Cultural Anthropology, and Politics.</jats:p>