Dress, Appearance, and Diversity in U.S. Society

Reviewed by Hilary Brewster, Professor of English and Director of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, Marshall University on 6/6/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The dress/clothing part felt secondary to the sociological/cultural part, but I still learned from those sections.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I don't have 100% of the background knowledge to assess the dress/fashion parts, but I trust they are. The rest is excellent.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

On the whole, this is a great introductory textbook that could be easily updated with new video content, etc. as new examples emerge

Clarity rating: 4

The first half (“Dress Theories and Concepts”) was well organized and introduced multiple concepts related to dress/clothing, society, identity, and more. At times the “vocabulary” felt a little overwhelming, since the sections featured a lot. Perhaps adding more short quizzes could break up the semi-onslaught of terms.

Consistency rating: 5

Chapter 2.1 feels research heavy rather than term heavy, which is a wee inconsistent with the rest of the book, but the rest felt like it was cohesive.

Modularity rating: 5

The end of section case studies are clearly intended for the students in the original class—which is fine, of course!—but for a non-enrolled student feels sort of “out-group” to co-opt a term from the book. I didn’t watch every linked video in its entirety, but they all appear to be well considered and informative. However, it was a pop-culture CRIME that the “trickle-down” section of the seventh chapter about fashion theories did not include a link to the “cerulean” scene from The Devil Wears Prada (2006) because it is a perfect example of that theory in (cinematic) action.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

It was sort of weird that the first content chapter was about clothes/dress as was the final chapter in the first section, but in between were chapters more about sociological and cultural concepts. The second half (“Dress and Marginalized Communities”) starts out more research heavy, and in a way, feels like the advanced half of the textbook (which is why it is second, clearly). The physical layout compared to the first half comes off as overwhelming to begin—sort of the opposite of the first half with its terminology—and could perhaps be broken up a bit more. So many references, which is great! However, the subsequent chapters (9-13) felt more like the set up of the first half-lots of terms, videos, etc. but fewer little quizzes. The dress/clothing part almost felt secondary, but I definitely learned from those sections.

Interface rating: 5

Was completely navigable and non-distracting.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found one tiny typo

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The examples of various terms and concepts were quite diverse and definitely interesting, taking examples from history, religion, queer, and world cultures, though—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—it was almost too lacking in examples for (cis straight) men.

Reviewed by Cynthia Sims, Instructor, Northeastern Illinois University on 5/4/23, updated 5/15/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This book covers an adequate amount of appropriate ideas, concepts, and terminology about dress, appearance, and diversity in various contexts and cultures in the United States. Students will gain knowledge of relevant topics and have practice with applying the concepts via case studies. More elaboration, however, is needed for an in-depth study of the subjects presented. Some of the text is discussed too briefly. Hopefully, this textbook is supplemented with other learning material for readers who want to continue to explore the topics. There does not appear to be an index or glossary of terms except the list of definitions within Chapter 8.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Overall, the content of the book is accurate and verifiable. Some of the errors are not major concerns but can cause confusion. For example, in Chapter 13 Race and Ethnicity, the Case Study assignment asks the reader to name the document to be submitted “Religion Case Study". This request is found in two separate sentences of the assignment, but the exercise requires students to review short videos about ethnic minority women's experiences with dress and appearance, nothing about religion.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The book was published in 2020, so more current citations could have been provided. The topics covered are not new or emerging issues, so there are many more up-to-date studies, legislation, and even court cases regarding dress, diversity, and appearance discrimination. There are several laws that have been enacted that are not provided for the reader in order to highlight the need for social justice for marginalized populations. For example, Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964 is not discussed, but it is foundational legislation for many cases of discrimination and types maltreatment regarding race, color, sex, religion, etc. Other legislation such as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and the CROWN Act, which was signed into law in 2019 in California, New York, and New Jersey, would strengthen the book. Readers should understand that their dress and appearance can be used to marginalize them and others, but also that there are legal ways to address these forms of discrimination.

Clarity rating: 4

Mostly, the text is clearly written and easy to understand. The various video clips that are integrated into each chapter help to illuminate the ideas more and gives readers a real-life example of the concepts. The quizzes are good to test for learning mid-chapter.

There are some areas, however, where more elaboration is needed to complete the contextual discussion. For example, in Chapter 13, the discussion of the One-Drop Rule is not adequately explained, nor is the historical context provided. The One-Drop Rule was a separatist social policy that was started by white supremacists. It is not currently a practice or or way to identify one's race.

An example where jargon is misplaced is in Chapter 8 under the definition of Gender. The statement "For example, a closeted trans woman might choose to present herself in more masculine clothing until she feels more comfortable presenting her gender identity to those around her" is not the best example because the definition of Transgender has not been presented yet, let alone the terms "trans woman". Another example regarding gender identity would have strengthened this section.

Consistency rating: 5

The layout of the text and format of the chapters are mostly consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

The book's chapters are designed into compact sections that are manageable for the reader. There are distinct headings and subheadings in each chapter to separate ideas. A heading above each quiz would be nice to separate it from the regular text.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

In most chapters, the sections of content and subjects are appropriately organized. Others are not. For example, Chapter 3 presents many diversity concepts but not their connection to dress and appearance, i.e. the discussions of the pay gap, African American-sounding names on a resume, and how to reduce implicit bias. While these concepts are very important, the title of the chapter includes "Dress", so the reader is expecting much of the chapter to relate more to this subject.

Interface rating: 5

The book is easy to navigate, and the videos and short quizzes are functional. These items make learning more hands on, which is great for tactile learners. It is nice to get a quick response to the quiz before moving on to the next concepts in the chapter. It is also good to have YouTube videos that are easily accessible with the opportunity to see other related videos on the right side pane of the YouTube screen.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There are a few grammatical and spelling errors. These do not prevent the reader from understanding the content, however.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook's contents use examples and language that are inclusive and have a quality of acceptance. The pictures and videos used are very diverse and represent many dimensions of diversity. This is great to see as many marginalized populations do not always see themselves in textbooks. There are a few instances, however, where a deeper explanation of certain groups is needed, which may appear to the reader to be limiting.

Comments

This is a really good book to introduce readers to the concepts and relevant terminology. It is an easy-read, and readers will find the opportunities for "interaction" a great way to break up the text.

Reviewed by Mary Lanigan, Associate Professor, Governors State University on 2/21/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

Have you ever wondered how various groups and communities in this melting pot called the United States use dress and appearance to express their identities? If so, then Dress, Appearance, and Diversity in U.S. Society is a must-read by Kelly L. Reddy-Best. As an open-source, digital download, this free book’s central theme is how dress, appearance, and identity shape how we look and behave in the United States from dominant and subcultural perspectives. It includes various social science and fashion theories and cultural perspectives from both prevailing and marginalized groups. The information within the chapters contains breadth but sometimes lacks depth. There is neither an index nor a glossary.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The author takes an unbiased approach to discussing dress, appearance, and diversity in the United States, and she reaches across many spectrums, including, but not limited to, transgender, Muslim, Asian, etc., offering a multi-centric perspective that appears to be accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content of the book is contemporary and will be useful throughout the years. The book is written in a straightforward manner. But sometimes the writing is sophomoric and surface-oriented. I wish the author went into more depth, especially in the area of dress. Instead, she skims many topics.

Clarity rating: 5

At the same time, the prose is accessible to all readers, and most undergraduates would be able to breeze through the material without any difficulty.

Consistency rating: 5

The structure of the book is set up nicely. The topics are well organized and flow logically from chapter to chapter and subject to subject within each chapter. Further, the content is consistent in terminology and framework. Each chapter contains videos and an end-of-chapter exercise such as a case study or reflective assignment. Each exercise is well written and includes a detailed grading rubric.

Modularity rating: 5

If another instructor wanted to divide the readings into smaller sections or incorporate the exercises into unique assignments for his or her classes, it would be easy to do so. The exercises were written in such a way that one could modify them for his or her own specific class but, at the same time, use the rubrics and other ideas without having to reinvent the wheel. Unfortunately, the authors make the assignments specific to Canvas. Since others use Blackboard or Moodle, I think some students will get confused by the Canvas citations. But, a minor inconvenience in the long run.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are well organized and flow logically from chapter to chapter and subject to subject within each chapter. Further, the end-of-chapter assignments are very organized, and the rubrics are well written.

Interface rating: 4

While there are a number of links built into the text, which are great, after clicking on a link and then clicking back, it brings the reader back to page one instead of back to the current page.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

There were a handful of grammatical errors, such as:
Missing “s” for the word some on page 45.
On page 46, an incomplete sentence, “Some basic personality characteristics may include individuals to be…
On page 53, missing an “i” for “in public”.
P. 54 has an inappropriate line indent
Formatting issues on p. 71 regarding a quote.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

5 The authors of this book did a fantastic job of being inclusive. They included many groups in their discussions, including whites, blacks, Asians, trans, gays, lesbians, Muslims, Indians, etc. They also included a variety of videos that expanded upon the reader’s cultural awareness by including videos on the gay rodeo and the Muslim perspective on dress. While almost all the text is agreeable, there is some realistic language used by the LGBTQIA community that a few readers may find offensive, albeit this is not the fault of the authors as they are simply reporting the terms used by that particular group.

Comments

Overall, I would recommend this book to any instructor who needs a textbook that focuses on dress, appearance, and diversity. The contents of the book aren’t limited to apparel and fashion design educators. Instead, the contents can also assist Communication, Psychology, and Sociology instructors with their courses as well.