THTR 3377 Fashion: A Cultural History
Fashion trends simultaneously shape and are shaped by the culture from which they grow, reflecting personal taste, social values, political and economic developments, popular culture, new technology, and the overall mood of a period. From the late 18th century fanciful French Rococo style to the 19th century technological advances of British Industrialism and the modern perfectionism of 1950s America, this course connects Western European and American fashion styles to the societal and cultural tastes of each era. Through lectures, discussions, and visual research projects, this course will analyze how these styles are connected to global influences; explore how aesthetic choices are impacted by factors including politics, economics, artistic movements, technological developments, and trendsetting icons; and highlight the correlation between fashion and popular interior styles.
Course overview
- Department
- Theatre
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Spring
Requirements fulfilled
- Theatre: Theatre elective, THTR2000 and above (one course; three 1-credit mini-courses may be bundled) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Theatre: Upper-level Dramatic Literature, Criticism, and Theater History courses (four courses, numbered THTR3370–THTR3389 or THTR4470–THTR4489) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.87 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.24 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 5
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Quinn Burgess | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 10 of 12 |
| Spring 2025 | Crystal Tiala | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 7 of 11 |
| Spring 2025 | Quinn Burgess | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 7 of 11 |
| Spring 2024 | Crystal Tiala | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | — | 5 of 6 |
| Spring 2024 | Quinn Burgess | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | — | 5 of 6 |
| Spring 2023 | Crystal Tiala | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 7–9 hrs/week | 13 of 17 |
| Spring 2023 | Quinn Burgess | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 7–9 hrs/week | 13 of 17 |
| Spring 2022 | Crystal Tiala | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 7 of 14 |
| Spring 2022 | Jacqueline Dalley | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 7 of 14 |