I’m not sure if I can actually find enough information on the history of fashion in Boston.  Out of the major fashion-related subheadings that I’ve been exploring, I may just choose the one for which I find the most resources.  My topic will be an exploration of fashion, focusing on its impact on history and culture. I think the ultimate story would be how fashion has shaped the world over the years.  One major source that I will definitely be using is http://www.fashion-era.com/.  This exhaustive site examines the fashions of each decade and discusses the sociological implications.

Examining the relationship between art and fashion might be beyond my scope, but if I do choose to include it, I can use this article:  http://www.bigredandshiny.com/cgi-bin/BRS.cgi?section=article&issue=103&article=ART_AS_FASHION_29113758.  It’s written by the woman who teaches the “Art as Fashion” class at Tufts.  I may try to contact her to get ideas and resources.  (Here’s part two of the article:  http://bigredandshiny.net/cgi-bin/BRS.cgi?section=article&issue=105&article=FASHION_2671624)

In a different vein, Tisch Library has a DVD called “Dying to Be Thin,” which interviews people such as fashion models about their struggles with eating disorders.  I might be able to tie this theme with Boston because Anna Wintour and Michael Kors addressed this issue in a talk at Harvard Business School, but I’m afraid that I might get wrapped up in eating disorders and body image and stray away from the fashion aspect.   On the other hand, people in class mentioned a lot of helpful resources that could keep me on track, such as Dove Evolution and the Photoshop Disasters blog. 

Overall, I think my two options are the history/culture of fashion and the impact of fashion on body image.  I’m leaning toward the history aspect because it has more of a focus on the actual clothes rather than the media portrayal, and I think it will be really interesting to examine evolving fashion trends and attitudes.

As for the site design, I am envisioning a lot of runway photos and images that evoke a glossy magazine or photo shoot feel.  I would want colorful, striking images that show the details and beauty of the clothes.  I’m imagining a look that invokes the idea of “behind the scenes/history of ‘Vogue.’”  I plan to look at fashion magazines for design inspiration.  Here are some examples of the types of images that I might use:

photo courtesy of la times