When Adorned in Dreams was first published in 1985, Angela Carter described the book as 'the best I have read on the subject, bar none'. From haute-couture to haberdashery, 'deviant' dress to Dior, Elizabeth Wilson traces the social history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. She also discusses fashion's vociferous opponents, from the 'dress reform' movement to certain strands of feminism. Wilson delights in the power of fashion to mark out identity or to subvert it and this brand new edition traces recent developments to bring the story of fashionable dress - and its enormous cultural impact - bang up to date.
'Elizabeth Wilson is internationally recognised as an authority on fashion, and this is her masterpiece.' - Valerie Steele
When Adorned in Dreams was first published in 1985, Angela Carter described the book as 'the best I have read on the subject, bar none.' Elizabeth Wilson traces the social and cultural history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. Wilson delights in the power of fashion to mark out identity or to subvert it and this brand new edition of her book follows recent developments to bring the story of fashionable dress up to date, exploring the grunge look inspired by bands like Nirvana, the 'boho chic' of the mid 90's, retro-dressing and the meanings of dress from the veil to Beck's pink-varnished toenails.

Elizabeth Wilson is a pioneer in the development of fashion studies, and has been a university professor, feminist campaigner and activist. Her writing career began in the 'underground' magazines of the early 1970s, (Frendz, Red Rag, Spare Rib, Come Together) before she became an academic. She's written for the Guardian and her non-fiction books include Adorned in Dreams (1985, 2003), The Sphinx in the City (1992) (shortlisted for the Manchester Odd Fellows Prize), Bohemians (2000) and Love Game (2014) (long listed for the William Hill sportswriting prize), as well as six crime novels, including War Damage (2009) and The Girl in Berlin (2012) (long listed for the Golden Dagger Award).