MODERNISED TRADITIONS
GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION ELLI-MAY GREEN FINAL MAJOR PROJECT
I am looking at the relationship between Modernising Costume and modernising Print within Irish Dancing.
MODERNISM
I looked at different key factors that influenced the cause of change from the traditional conventions of Irish dancing costumes to the more current trend designs.
Elaborating on visual representations for an editorial design for my Final Project. Developing key areas from my Dissertation. Opening up into Fashion, Technology, Branding, Beauty, Photography, Traditions of the Celtic Identity, Materials, Semiotics, Colour, Trends, Historical Events, Psychology, the artifacts of garments, Designers, Identity, Self-Expression through clothing. This links with the impact of being celebritised, how some objects can contradict an item with consumers viewing it differently.
The impact of modernising the traditional conventions. Looking at how Irish Dancing garments were being modernised, which were challenging the garments traditional representation. Using this theory in print.
FIELD OF STUDY I am looking at the relationship between Modernising Costume and modernising Print within Irish Dancing. I am going to be building on the research from my written dissertation, which looked at modernising traditions in costumes. However instead of comparing the garments as a focus, I am going to see if the modernised concept relates to print for Irish Dancing.
HISTORICAL CONTENT
“I am not some doll to look at. I am a champion. I practice for hours while other relax. I push my body to its limits for a longer high jump or higher kick. I wear the jewels and wig not for entertainment, but because I deserve to be noticed when I’m on stage. I am a champion not a doll.”
1929 The Irish Dancing commission was formed in 1929, that setup the regulation of teachers, rules of dance and how competitions should be judged.
In the early stages of the history known for Irish dancing, there were practitioners known as the Druids who would dance in religious rituals honouring the oak tree and the sun, these circular movements of steps are still used in dances today such as in the Ceili. The word ‘Ceili’ originally referred to a sense of gathering of neighbours in a house to have an enjoyable time, dancing, playing music and storytelling. However today it refers to an informal evening of dancing.
My field of study for my Final project is the understanding of Traditional Irish dancing costumes, how they have evolved to be more of a modern trend, analysing if this cause of change has had an impact on the main function of the garment expressing the Celtic Identity. Starting my research from the foundation of Irish Dancing, looking into the previous periods and how it changed to what it has become today.
IDENTITY
Celtic traditionwas symbolised with a three-pointed symbol that represented threeway unity. The Celtic version of the symbol features their unique knotwork style which means it is endlessly looping and interweaving. If you see a triquetra symbol with a circle going through it; it means it is a symbol of eternity this is used on many traditional dress designs representing their community.
CELTIC CONVENTIONS
The identity of Irish dancing can be very controversial. I argue that the limited representations of the identity on the garments, lack the importance of the historical background of the dance as well as its identity. The beginning traits of the dance highlight the importance of being a community and all dancing together, even in competitions it was about showing your community as a whole and the way you dance. Using this theory for today’s dancing methods is very different. Each dancer represents themselves when competing, and the designs are more to show off and to stand out rather than representing your sense of an Irish identity and what you believe. It has modernised to become more about the identity of your fashion taste and your status of wealth to afford the garments, rather than dancing a very cultural dance.
The Celtic version of the symbol, features their unique knotwork style. Which means it is endlessly looping and interweaving.
An ancient Celtic symbol, the triquetra is considered one of the oldest, dating back to as early as 500 BC when it was used to then symbolize the triple goddess. Over time it has become the symbol for the Holy Trinity among Christians in Ireland. The symbol is often used to represent the three key fundamental elements of air, water, and earth or as the infinite cycle of life. It is also known as a rune of protection. There is a sense of an expression of Celtic Identity when looking into these symbol meanings. What they reflect as part of the culture, through visual concepts. Ethnicity is an important aspect of a sense of self, a sense of community and a perception of others. Our ethnicity influences how we experience our lives, especially in relation to other people. To unpack the above Identity definition slightly, ethnicity, whether in ancient or modern times, tends to have a number of common characteristics. “Ethnicity is about contrast, which is defining who “we” are, this is only possible by contrasting “us” with some other “them.” It is the sense of a shared linguistic heritage of Ireland that primarily defines Celtic identity and drives the Pan-Celtic movement. And it is the existence of the Celtic language that defines the modern Celtic nation.
1959
When the Irish arrived in Ireland from Europe over two thousand years ago, they brought with them their own way of folk dances, this remained consistent amongst the peasants with the music and dancing being of their passion. In the twelfth Century Norman culture was introduced to Ireland, this established a dance called ‘The Carol’ which was very popular with a leader singing and being surrounded by a circle of dancers who replied with the same song, this would be performed amongst the towns. The big establishment at the time was when a letter written by Sir Henry Sydney to Queen Elizabeth I in 1959.
In this period of time a dance named as ‘Hey’ was very popular with the female dancers dancing around their partners, in a four way runner which is also danced in todays ‘Reel’. This became known that when royalty would arrive in Ireland they were greeted with the young female performers. When King James landed at Kinsale, Country Cork, in 1780 he was welcomed with dancers who would dance with white handkerchiefs. The music for the Irish dancing would be the bagpipes and the harp, in the house of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, the master would often join in with the servants to dance.
POWER
“ They are beautiful, magnificently dressed and first-class dancers.�
These historical references of Irish Dancing symbolise the importance of the dance itself, rather than the overall appearances that are made as a key factor today. The impact of Irish dancing being danced to the royals, insinuates that there was this sense of power over class at the time. The upper class had the entertainment purpose of the dance, with the peasants having to perform such an energetic dance with very little acknowledgment of achievement by the upper class with rewards. Contradicts how the entertainment today is very different when competing, with achievements of rewards and acknowledgment of being a good dancer.
The characteristics of a dance master would be they were flamboyant, wearing bright colours and unique in all the communities.
Looking back into how Irish Dancing then occurred in the historical period, referred to how dancing masters became the key to the movement of dance within a community. The importance of a dance master was the impact it had on Irish Dancing, getting a community of dancers together to compete became a vital part of the culture within Ireland. The extravagant characteristic and clothing from a dance master can also refer to the impact of the extravagant costumes within the Irish Dancing.
FLAMBOYANT
MASTER
There would be an Irish dance master who would travel to all different villages, to teach to peasants. The characteristics of a dance master would be they were flamboyant, wearing bright colours and carried staff. Group dances were introduced to help those less gifted dancers, to give them a chance to dance. A dance master had their own territory, at competitions it would be known of dance masters competing each other in public to battle out who was the best.
The costumes today commemorate with the clothing worn by schools, being that each dance school has their own distinct design on their garments. The dresses in that period of time were based on the Irish peasant’s dress, mostly being hand-embroidered with Celtic designs, and copies of the Tara Brooch on the shoulder. The men’s clothing was a plain kilt and jacket with a folded cloak draped from the shoulder. However today this rule stays very much the same, with dance schools having their own unique design and symbolic references to know what school they are from.
Global Riverdance costume has been the cause of change from the traditional costumes, as it can be argued that Riverdance has been one of the main influences of the cause of change, rather than reinforcing the tradition visually through costume designs. The evolution of the Irish dance costume had then undergone a change, focusing on the elements of trends versus traditions that is built up within the design of the costumes.
In the twentieth century, the costumes then underwent a series of dramatic changes in both appearances and production, questioning how the costumes still play a role in referring to the Celtic nationality. “I have discovered that Riverdance was a catalyst for, and factor contributing to, the current popularity of Irish dance.
However, I also found that although Irish Riverdance became popular overnight, it took several years for the trend to be visible in the global Irish dance community�. Understanding the cultural concept of Irish Dancing refers to a traditional dance that has been ongoing, however the big establishment of Irish dancing culture was first viewed in a seven-minute interval act, this is known as the ‘River dance’ in 1994 Eurovision song contest.
Riverdance and The Lord of the Dance established the means of Irish dance on the international stage.
IMPACT
CULTURE
“ Celtic is a linguistic term; a Celt is one who speaks or was known to have spoken within modern historical times a Celtic language. That is central. This brings us back to the future of the languages for if the languages and their attendant culture have no future then the Celts will become as extinct as the Etruscans. Celtic identity is intrinsically linked to language and culture and there can be no dilution of that fact. I was instrumental in persuading the Celtic League to reject an application from Galicia as a Celtic country. The last time a Celtic language was recorded as being spoken in Galicia was in the 9th Century. The language now spoken there (Galego) is a dialect close to Portuguese but influenced by Castilian. True, there are some Celtic words remaining. However, more Celtic words are remaining in French and indeed English. Indeed, Celtic was reported in Cumbria in England as late as the 14th century and even into the 20th century if one accepts the evidence of shepherds using Celtic prime numbers to count their sheep. So on the basis of accepting Galicia, the Celtic League would have to accept France, England (or at least Cumbria) as legitimate Celtic communities.�
Looking at quotes of the Celtic Identity gives me the political and cultural representation of a Celtic Identity. Referring to the change in movement how they were sub-sided as a culture with their purpose and beliefs. Celtic Identity was not acknowledged by everyone, this had an impact on what their beliefs were such as the way Irish Dancing was part of the culture. limiting the references to it being acknowledged .
Linking back to my field of study, comparing the traditional trends to be more of a style of modernised commercialised trends of Irish Dancing costumes today. Looking at the background content on how it existed to then the worldwide performance. The Celtic identity of Irish Dancing was a key area which is important context, as the foundation of the culture identity for understanding the dance and its formations. The identity refers to the traditional codes and conventions of both the garments as well as the identity of the community in the starting stages, this is reflected through the garment design as well as the way dances were danced. Then the historical view on the identity is being extinct and irrelevant. Initially referring to the speculation that this delayed the acknowledgment of Irish Dancing as there was little importance to understand their codes and conventions as a culture. This can be argued that this is happening again, with the limitations on the traditional garments it is representing little knowledge on the culture for many consumers as well as dancers to understand.
EXTINCT The extinction impacting the limiting of knowledge on their uses of cultural codes and conventions in Ireland, refers to the delay in the acknowledgement of the overall community dance. Political institutes making little relevance for the Celtic Identity.
“ The original event was established by an all Irish, and also all Irish speaking committee which truly reflected Irish Culture. Now it is run largely by a more international global committee and it is now a worldwide event.”
In the 19th Century Ireland the ‘Great potato famine’ occurred with many lives lost due to starvation. After the occurrence of the Great famine and the leaving of Irish citizens, the population of the number within Ireland dramatically declined in correspondence to the decline in the culture, customs and traditions. This brought upon the importance of the Gaelic League as a goal to promote the Irish culture and customs, which included the art of Irish Dancing. Irish Dancing got together the communities to dance for enjoyment rather than it being competitive like it is seen today. Questioning the level of enjoyment and purpose of the dance. The development of the dancing has become more energetic and highly intricate with much greater movement and elevation. The style of the dancing is no longer dominated by Ireland or influenced by Irish Culture but allows for teachers all over the world to have an input into what constitutes the current trends. This links with the presentation of the dancer as well as introducing new steps.
TRADITION
When researching into the contradictions of traditional garments and the way they are designed today, it was argued with the more modern trends it gave a dancer a sense of identity and personality. I researched into a previous dancer and designer who has a passionate view on the contradicting trends limiting the identity.
Other countries have preserved their country or folk dances by strict rigid control but that leaves them in danger of not increasing in popularity and even drying out. Which argues the point that Irish Dancing had to keep up with modern times to attract consumers to compete. For dancers to experience the dressing up and being someone else of stage was a attraction factor.
WHAT IS IRISH DANCING IN THIS PRESENT TIME? “ The Irish Dancing costumes of today reflect the popularity of Irish Dancing worldwide and the fact that the nature of the dancing has changed so much.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW TRENDS IN DRESSES AND WIGS? DO YOU FEEL THIS TAKES AWAY FROM THE DANCING OR IRISH TRADITIONS? “ Many of the competitors now come from non-English speaking countries and this global entry is reflected in the nature of the costumes, which are no longer designed to reflect Irish culture but are designed for the nature of the dancers”.
“ The original Irish Dancing costumes were introduced as a need to express our Irish national identity over a century ago. Now 100 years on, we are celebrating the success of our rebellion and we no longer have that need to express our Irish national identity. Ireland is now well established, and a free and very proud nation.”
“ Many of the competitors now come from non-English speaking countries and this global entry is reflected in the nature of the costumes, which are no longer designed to reflect Irish culture but are designed for the nature of the dancers”.
“ Personally, I do not like the excessive use of wigs and the fact that the dresses nowadays no longer bear any Irish emblems or any sense of identify to them as being Irish. But that is the price we pay for the tremendous global popularity.”
Fashion communication has shifted in its communicable aspects staring from projecting a basic image of how we look like and how we feel expressing our emotional factor of all the experiences through interactive implements in the dress.”
“ Fashion trends come and go, meanwhile a society’s values are established and evolving characteristic to their beliefs and culture. Fashion is just not an ambitious projected image of a reinterpreted good old value to fulfil some function or agenda alike but rather an evocative and refreshing concept worthy enough to be portrayed for the society’s appreciation that makes us even more instinctive.”
VALUES Looking at an individual’s appearance allows us to communicate, initially to be able to distinguish social status, values and lifestyle. This communication was then expressed through the garment design, allowing a dancer to communicate a sense of personality to be unique. It was the cause of change to present Irish dance fashion, into an elegant mixture of tradition and modernity values.
“ The intention is to win friends or draw appreciations by communicating their values in the form of dress and clothing as appearance is a social etiquette and effective form of non-verbal communication.�
Form of non-verbal communication
There has been a change in the composition of the elements that constitute to fashion concepts, when looking at traditional fashion and the change in periods. This is witnessed in all different social groups liking with subcultures, ethnic groups, alternative lifestyles, workplace and leisure cultures when looking at the institutions of everyday.
“ The phenomenon of fashion can then be distinguished into elite fashion the haute couture and everyday fashion rather than just restricting ourselves to the concept of European or Western high fashion.” Looking at everyday fashion is initially determined by the individual, the way they want to then project their bodily self in a distinctive style manner in the form of a clothing style.
There has been a change in the composition of the elements that constitute to fashion concepts, when looking at traditional fashion and the change in periods. This is witnessed in all different social groups linking with the subcultures, ethnic groups, the alternative lifestyles, workplace and leisure cultures when looking at the institutions of everyday.
“ Unlike the traditional capitalist fashion of system where the elite or rich decide the course of fashion tastes and fashion gets disseminated from the top to the bottom sections of the society.” This initial use of a hierarchy within fashion is drawn by the trends from the fashion industry, looking through contemporary life, style conventions, fashion code concepts developed by all the designers, street style fashion, aesthetic experiences, ethnographic accounts and the overall population.
“ The success of the fashion trend lies in the way the society interprets the fashion trend and judges it.” This is also determined by social acceptance, which is driven by many factors which underline people’s values and behavioural traits. When referring to this for the dance costumes, making a status to stand out also reflects the wanting to be accepted trait. The clothing values to represent an individuals personality, characteristics as well as values.
“ Today’s consumer culture is driven by aspiration that then diminishes the gap between the rich and the economically volatile sections when it comes to accepting and adopting a trend.”
“ Consumption establishes itself as a gratuitous and creative activity as much as people then reinterpret and reorganise things, they have brought according to a particular style which they are continuously engaged in accomplishing.”
“ Fascination with the aesthetic object, appraisal of symbolic reality and a strong feeling of unity with the object”.
FASHION
When looking at clothing behaviour there is a social code of dressing, looking for the values attributed to social themes and adventurous sport events to be sticking to the conventional codes of dressing. The engagement of social context is that consumed by consumers it has a strong influence when focusing on fashion.
THE LURE OF AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE Aesthetic is used to talk about beauty or art, and people’s appreciation of beautiful things. All influencing on the style of all the visual aspects, as well as forming a coutre for the audience. This links with referring to popular cultute, as well as high brow culture. The aesthetics link with my design style, how I want my editorial design to be communicated as well as who I want to target. The two couture audiences has an influence on my design work. This is very similar to the way fashion is communicated, how the visuals link with what is being communicated.
IMPACT
LINKING TO SOCIAL AGENDA OF FASHION TRENDS
“ The fashion trends portray a visual sense of culture and style of dressing that models the consumer identity in a specific environment. The social agenda of these fashion trends is to express the consumers identity in terms of lifestyle choices and their attitude. It is suggested that the pattern and manner of dressing befitting an occasion that sets forth a standard, these clothing standards are in fact derived from the prevailing social values and their emotional expectations.�
Looking at the social concept around Irish dancing, it focuses on the social class that occurred through the beginning of the dance community as well as playing a role in today. The social class targets those of a higher class, when looking at the expenses needed for the garment as well as the overall presentational needs. However, when looking at the background, this can contradict the theory of higher class being able to afford to take part in the dance. Irish dancing was performed by the lower class, which was then the entertainment for the higher class at social events. The garments that are worn today are very different to those worn by the peasants. This has an influence on the social class, having to be more glamorise and more glitzier for entertainment.
SOCIAL
Reflecting on the social agenda that is now represented in today’s Irish Dancing community, I argue contradicts its first purpose. However, the overall presentation of Irish dancing has changed. The much more expensive attire makes the dancing an expense, giving those of a higher wealth state more opportunities to get the more glamorised garments. With the garments also communicating the dancers status as well as wealth, with the more eccentricate designs.
“ The fashion trend entails design focus and details on a garment noticed at different locations of the garment namely collars and necklines, hem lines, waist lines, shoulder line, sleeve lines and hip lines.�
MODERNISM
“ The evolution of design made it possible to do things a lot quicker, a lot more intricate, to create new designs.�
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
The development of the design was the introduction of digitial designs, which then work in sync with the larger embroidery machines enabling to be more open with new design possibilities. As designs became more intricate, another premium appliqué was introduced: Swarovski crystals. The dresses are the epitome of that strain, which are representing an art form. The new costumes are unique and impressive. The embroidery is exquisite. The colors vivid. Some still have the traditional Celtic designs, but many seem to have left them behind for more modern shapes seen today by many designers.
Technology played a large role in the way of the evolving style of aesthetic. Dress designs were drawn onto the tracing paper and sewed by hand until the late ’90s.
The solo costumes became more showy throughout the 1990s and 2000s, fuelled in part by River-dance and its even glitzier spinoff shows that continued to commercialise Irish dancing. I have argued that Riverdance was a catalyst for, and factor contributing to, the current popularity of Irish dance. However, I also found that although Riverdance became popular overnight, it took several years for the trend to be visible in the global Irish dance community. As a result, I believe this thesis provides the arts, cultural, and creative sector with a well-researched case study of a successful catalytic performance that transformed an entire art form. Irish dance fashion has settled into an elegant mixture of tradition and modernity. The previous costumes were elegant but they decided they needed something more high-powered for Broadway,” Bergin says. “I thought I would take a fashion slant on the old Celtic myths.”Bergin’s” fashion slant” was much closer to popular culture. While the fabric sings of lrish tradition, the shape of the dress was inspired by the figure-hugging design worn by Victoria Beckham at her 1999 wedding at a castle near Dublin.
RISING STAR DANCE
Rising star became Keith Marron business for Irish Dancing garments, “we are not here to do something different, but perhaps just better. Customer care is paramount, with original design work, top quality workmanship all coming under this key point, to make customers happy.”
You have the choice of having as little or as much input into the design and the look of the dress. Clients send in examples of dresses they like. These give Keith a better idea of what kind of look the dancer would like to go for, plus creating something unique for the dancer. This applies for both dresses for girls and vests for boys. With all the creative information together Keith will create the design. Every dancer is allotted time with Keith to personally go through your ideas and use his creativity. The dance is asked to take advantage of Keith’s wealth of costume experience and try not to limit their ideas too much. He does not accept fully designed artwork as these will limit creativity. The design process takes place usually 1 week before an in-studio fitting or 3 weeks before a dress is to be shipped overseas. As soon as the design is ready the order gets the dancers approval. The teachers are also asked to get involved with the creativity, as they understand the dancers strengths and flaws which a garment can hide when performing.
Trends do have a habit of repeating but the dresses have had crystals on them for at least 15 years now, before that it was sequins and then before that hologram materials. Keith does not see Crystals as being a trend as such, as they are just an evolution of costume design, replacing holographic material and sequins. I think different materials will come into play that will require less crystals which will keep the dress lighter and cheaper. Personally I think Crystals should add to the design and not actually be the design. If a dress relies on its crystal budget the designer has not done a efficient design.
“ we are not here to do something different, but perhaps just better.�
“ Niamh Taylor of Taylor dresses has certainly made her mark in the Irish Dance fashion world since joining her family owned business.�
GARMENT S
TAYLOR
Niamh Taylor has introduced to the dress creativity the designs of the collar, the cape, the jacket and the bolero as well as releasing more controversial designs for many other dancers. As a designer her next goal is to focus centre on the sleeves of the dresses, to make unique style of markings in that area for each individual dancer for their own dress. Designer Taylor believes that the capped sleeves and sheer sleeves give a gorgeous shape to dancers. “For us the sheer sleeves are the most vital thing in the Irish Dancing costumes as we feel they give the best shape. We also feel that with these tighter sleeves we can venture out with the body design and go extremely bold with colours, designs and shapes because with the simple sleeves its really effective. For me the sheer sleeves are a must and I personally don’t see us coming away for it for a long time”. When looking at the colours used for the designs the trends used are mainly creams, maroon and red. “The colour combinations, along with the extremely regal design and asymmetrical skirt caused a craze, and our design team recently discussed how we can reuse the same colour schemes but ensure it is different to other dresses that have been designed. We feel that this is going to be a huge style change and that we are going to have plenty of demand for this new style in the next dance season”.
With the costumes being modernised as a Irish dance costume, Niamh the designer also believes that trends do revert to the same things once loved in the past. She also acknowledges that “costumes used to be filled with applique which is a section of fabric on the dress instead of embroidery threading. “Whilst working on the original cape dress we toyed with the idea of having this all applique, giving the black design a matte finish, and now the applique is something we use often.”When looking into the designs they are more of a modernised visual representation of an Irish dancing garment, however they do not initially first express the Celtic Identity route for the dance tradition. The use of bold colours and patterns are all uniquely made for each of dancer’s, this gives a self-expression through the garments giving the dancer a sense of attitude and status. The modernised designs are up to date with the trends that dancers what to be seen in, this links with the commercialised glamour view from the Riverdance perspective of how it became nationwide.
Elevation Design specialise in the way in which the manufacturing of the their elegant exclusive and unique Irish dancing dresses are designed. The Elevation Design Irish dance brand is one which is now known worldwide in the Irish dancing community. This is very challenging for designers as dresses become picked when dancers are seen as the winner, their dress will be followed from that competition.
“The perfect Irish dancing dress�.
The Irish dance costume brand Elevation is synonymous about quality, style and luxury, blending celtic influences with the more contemporary designs.
The Elevation Dresses have the manifesto for clients to understand what their company is about. Stating their aims, “We want you to be prominent on stage, we will doeverything in our power to make your Irish dancing dress stand out from the rest. We combine all exceptional workmanship along with a dancer’s personality to create perfect Irish dancing dresses that will be elegant but will have the perfect balance of boldness.�
Elevation Design Designers have to understand the importance of a garment for a dancer. This represents them and who they are when competing. This can be challenging for many designers if they work in one way, this impacts their creativity and limits their uniqueness for one client. They have to be versatile to keep up with more trends as well as the times, especially with fashion influences.
COMMUNICATION
People often use clothing to signify their age, gender, their political views, and economic class. The core dynamic of a garment is the function of it, whether expressive or for an experiential purpose, it is the aesthetic.
GARMENTS
Before you even hear them speak or know anything about them, you probably make certain assumptions about a person based on their clothing. Often, we all expect certain people to dress a certain way before we learn anything about their credentials. Looking at the concept of Irish Dancing and the dresses, they are challenging this perspective. The use of a solo costumes was to became more of a ‘showy’ garment throughout the 1990s and 2000s, fueled in part by River-dance and its ‘glitzier’ and ‘sexier’ commercialised view and appearance for the purpose of being for entertainment.
Looking at the dresses, becomes the first statement of a dancer. This becomes an important factor to be able to understand the communication of the garment, how it reflects an individual’s personality as well as story in which they portray. For a dancer the communication of a dress is the most important, this also highlights the status of the dancer in the competitions. Riverdance wanted to express through the garments, a more modern, simple and ‘sexier’ change to challenge the view of the traditional form of dance. The appreciation of beauty to give the audience pleasure and to see the ‘glamorised’ view of the dance was the main cause of change highlighting the success.
First impressions are very important, and the clothing is one of the biggest factors in first impressions.
“ These surviving clothes illustrate the reality of children’s dress in all its different qualities of fabric and construction. The identities of the children who wore them do not always survive with the clothes, but each surviving garment bears the imprint not only of the child who wore it, but also of part of a way of life.” – Anne Buck (1996:15)
The history of an object-based on Research with Dress Artifacts
Looking at the way each of the garments are made and how they are worn on the body, it incorporates a slight functional element as well as symbolic and aesthetic qualities. This refers to Irish Dancing garments as key term of the purpose of the dress, looking at the qualities of traditional conventions that are communicated through to the modern for Irish Dancing dresses and whether they still hold these qualities. Looking at historical context of all the clothing beyond its fashionable life often has “symbolic qualities”, this holds “all personal memories” from the person who wore the item as well as giving an understanding of that period of time to get an understanding.
“ The garment can also reveal the multitude of
Referring to the cultural norms at the time of the historical garments in that particular time and place. The designs and the sense of production processes of the historical garments inherent the choices reflecting on the wealth of the garment and the cost of the material that were available. This then Reflects on the concept of dress artifacts the multi-layered and complex dimensions look at the aesthetics and structural qualities unique to fashion, this interprets a trace of a person which can be reflected through the Irish Dancing garments making observations using evidence from my research.
“ Although we all wear clothes, it can be very difficult to unpack the multifaceted use of narratives embedded within these objects, since garments as artifacts embody “complex composites with multiple histories.”
design choices that may serve to highlight or obscure certain parts of the body, reinforce or neutralize gender, or imbue political or social messages.”
“ The term ‘dress’ and the term ‘fashion’ can then sometimes be used as the Interchangeability of the term, although the precise definitions are contested, there are then very subtle differences in meaning.”
Looking at all different types of clothing such as dresses, shoes, purses, hats and jewellery all concludes to cultural material which gives an interpretation and a feature of representation of the cultural and social historical events. This all has the same key purpose of being functional, aesthetic and the garments being able to communicate concepts of identity, gender, class, status, belonging, aesthetics as well as social values. With each garment when it is worn and when it is seen has the information embedded forming a narrative within. Reflecting with this research information, this context can be referred to the individual dancers and their garments being able to be used to communicate a narrative. Giving a purpose when competing making them unique to each person’s life story. Establishing this for my research and understanding the fitting of the dress through historical periods of time, highlights key important features that can be transferred into my theory. Connecting the body with the garment provides marks that create a narrative for that artefact on that individual who wore it.
“ Fashion is used to describe garments and accessories that adorn the body in a manner that reflects the “the cultural construction of embodied identity”, as it is defined by the journal Fashion Theory.”
DRESS DETECTIVE “ Material objects matter because they are complex, symbolic bundles of social, cultural and individual meanings, fused onto something we can touch, see and own. That very quality is the reason that social values can so quickly penetrate into and evaporate out of common objects.” – Anne Smart Martin (1993-141)
OBSERVATION
GARMENT
Materials of a garment has different affects this is in the texture, style as well as the movement of the garment draping, the line, and the shape and whole visual appearance. Referring to the Irish Dancing garments with this context the use of the material varies depending on the style as well as the designer of the dress. Comparing this with the traditional conventions of Irish Dancing garments the use of material represented the period of time looking at the red velvet being used as a base, which was then developed with the use of hand-sticking thread to incorporate the designs. This has now changed very drastically from that material as a variety of new usage of material can be used, the use of neon colours and sheer materials are used making it have more of a modernised as a design. The memories garments have done not initially directly reveal a story, it is implied by the colour of cultural interpretation at the time allowing us to make judgments on the whole nationality, class, gender, religion, politics, occupation, age, ethnicity and sexuality of the object. The garment research has a goal to unlock personal and cultural biases, as well as identifying the overall contextual material that can support this evidence. When linking with my dissertation, interpreting the means of the Irish Dancing garments and how the different influences had an impact on the cause of change, allows for the understanding of the traditional garments being modernised.
“ Observing how a garment has been viewed constructively is invaluable in the dating of artifacts, as well as in offering clues as to the cultural beliefs related to gender and the identity, since the structure of the garment can emphasise certain parts of the body.�
“ Through stylistic analysis of objects, we then encounter the past at first hand; we have direct sensory experience of surviving the historical events….that allows us to put ourselves, figuratively speaking inside the skins of individuals who commissioned, made, used, or enjoyed these objects.”- Jules Davis Prown (1980:208)
REFLECTION “ Clothing is a form of material memory, carrying the imprints of its intimate relationship to the body.”
“ Researchers saw activation in a region of the brain called the praecuneus, which is associated with the spatial perception. They suggest that this region creates a map of our body’s positioning in space, helping us to keep track of our torso and flailing limbs as we plot our path across the dance floor.”
“ Linked to emotion and memory processes which are central to all interpersonal interaction and self-understanding.”
PSYCHOLOGY
“ Studies of professional dancers and the musicians have highlighted the importance of multimodal interaction and motor-related brain regions in dancers brains reacted more when processing the dance and music.”
“ Linked to emotion and memory processes which are central to all interpersonal interaction and self-understanding.”
Neuroscience looks at the structure and function of the human brain and nervous system. The neuroscience research draws on cellular and molecular biology, anatomy and psychology, human behaviour and cognition, and other disciplines, to find out all the information about how the brain works at levels that previously are unrecognised. From a scientific perspective, dance is an important human activity. It is important for enjoyment, for interpersonal communication, for social bonding and for general health and wellbeing. The way Irish dancers have to dance to the music for each step, suggests that the psychology behind dance and the brain links with the memory and power of the dance itself. Each dance is different which means that the dancer has to remember a range of steps. This arguably should be the most important factor of the Irish Dancing itself, rather than the overall presentation and appearance overpowering the psychology of the dance.
“ The dancers brains reacted more quickly to changes in music. The change was apparent in the brain as a reflex before the dancer is even aware of it at a conscious level.”
DANCER’S RESPONSE ON THE CHANGE OF THE IRISH DANCING GARMENTS “ I argue that the big change of the dresses and the overall concept of Irish Dancing changed because of the financial expenses needed now. Culturally it used to be for people of all backgrounds, but with the dresses being mostly around 1K they become very exclusive. It became more of an American style.” - Ciara
“ I don’t think the dresses that are being made now are traditional, although I argue that they should be. All the bling accessories they use and the whole process of being made up, takes away from the actual dance its self. The appearance of the dancer becomes more of the main focus. I think this is part of the reason Irish Dancing has become so competitive, as people are constantly trying to outdo others with new ideas which in effect takes away the tradition, they had years ago. I wouldn’t say the dresses sexualise women, I think it has just become the norm for girls to go to the extreme in which they do. The make-up, fake tan and wigs for example, however I think it is encouraged by the teachers a lot of the time. Just like Maggie, the way we had to dress.” – Sarah
“ I think they do not follow the traditional sense now, when we first started it was very traditional with colours and patterns. All to do with Celtic designs and relating to your school. But nowadays, it’s all about being better. They still keep to the traditional shape of the dress but have adapted and modernised them to make them stand out. People are constantly thinking of new ways to modify the dancing dresses to keep up with the trends at the time. I don’t think they sexualise women at all, but there is definitely pressured to be made up otherwise you will fade into the background. Make up and tanned legs has become a must, it’s like if you don’t have a full face, tanned legs and a big wig you won’t be noticed.” – Hayleigh
“ I think most of the trends in dresses are dependent on what the best dancers are wearing. If they go to ‘The Worlds’ or ‘Great Britain’s’ competitions, they wear a new style and win which then gets copied. Like with the weird trend where all the dresses had the high neck/ collar thing going on. Think me and Grace always had other people’s old dresses, so can’t really comment about what trend I went for it was more what I could afford.” – Molly
“ I do think they have been extremely modernised especially with the way they are designed. They are much shorter, it is like a competition on who has the prettiest dress with as much diamonds on. I would love to bring back some of the Celtic traditional aspects to it but as well we have to meet the times. There should be a balance, but it has been forgotten. When I think of Irish Dance I think of wigs, tan and dresses. I have a very traditional family and I love Irish music and the dances involved. I enjoy competitions but it has become very political and bitchy. I enjoy dancing in displays more so now, especially when teaching now. My dress is blue and black, I wanted a sea/ mermaid theme. I was am an older dancer, so I wanted to look for themes that were more for my age group, with class, elegance and sophistication.” – Katie
This study argues that celebrity culture has always been part of printed news, not distinct from “traditional” journalism, but helping formulate its conventions, constructs and agendas. This links to another assumption – that journalism builds from objective and impartial facts in “the public interest”, whereas celebrity journalism only focuses on emotion and private interests, primarily for entertainment. This “assumes that the coverage of celebrity does not match a higher set of ideals”
Linking with the concept around the Irish dancing garments, this celebrity image evolves with the traditional garments. There is more to the costume then just wearing a ‘dress’, it gives the dancer confidence and to be a stage performer, to be noticed as an individual. This relates to the aesthetic, accentuating womanly features like with the Riverdance costumes, exaggerating the waistline of the dancers to show their figure as well as being made shorter to accentuate the legs for the dance movements. This makes the individual stand out more “primarily costumes are fitted to characters as a second skin, working in this capacity for the cause of narrative by relaying information to the viewer about a ‘person”.
CELEBRITISED
This research extends prior work on celebrity brands to focus on the issue of how authenticity is constructed, communicated and managed in the manufacturing of celebrity. Understanding Driessens’ (2014) clarification of “celebrification” within this context demonstrates it as a way of increasing public visibility to achieve celebrity status. The idea of individuated self –identity emerged during the developments of capitalism and the democracy
This thesis considers the role of print media specifically celebrity journalism to mediated performances of self-identity. The persona construction, articulated by Marshall (2014: 154) as “the publicising of the self� is to be understood as inextricably linked to changes in how we understand our place in society and individual worth.
COSMETICS
“ 1940s American cosmetic brands Coty, Max-Factor, Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden began to expand their markets in Latin America. The flowering of the Mexican film industry at the same time made the Germans a fortune, as well as the success of Mexican films such as Maria Felix and Dolores del rio, helped with the redefine of notions of beauty.”
“ Makeup is more common today than it has ever been in history.”
Irish Dancing revolves a lot around the beauty concept, getting dressed up with a full face, tanned legs and having a big bouncy wig. This all links with the cosmetics behind appearances and how you need to look, this is also used by very young dancers. However, it is argued that this was irrelevant at the beginning of the establishment of Irish dancing. However, Riverdance made it more of a glamorised sport, arguably very much like a beauty pageant. This can have negative effects on children as they become known as a different person when being ‘dolled’ up and being accepted for what they look like in costume.
“ Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world.”
HISTORY OF COSMETICS
The cosmetics behind the dance is very much influenced by celebrity endorsement, as well as social media. The exaggerated use of makeup to manipulate appearances gives the cosmetic industry vulnerable young children wanting to look like a celebrity with the influence of social media. The way Irish Dancing is developing is the way they highlight the importance of beauty as a competitor, to have to look a certain way interpreting that you can get marked on the way you look at competitions.
“ Ponds based its advertising campaigns not on race or colour, but on its appeal to be a universal beauty brand , being “preferred by beautiful women in all parts of the world.” Photographers portrayed her between Irigenue (innocent) and to be culturally sophisticated.
“ They need costumes and giant wigs and spray tans and extensive wardrobes. We need to hide them beneath multiple layers of pan stick and polyester if they’re to stand a chance on the stage on their own.”
ESCAPISM
BEAUTY PAGEANT
Real Irish design tradition, has nothing to do with the flamboyant, flashy Irish dancing designs used today. It is argued that it has gone to far, behind all the costumes and makeup the dancers are prime atheletes. However they are judged on their appearance first of all. The evolution has driven dancers to the extreme as it is justified as a sport. There should be more of a balance between pressure and the sense of achievement. The glamour consists of having a new solo costume for every year, along with that the
wigs, tanning, makeup, shoes and socks. This has come from the evolution of having to be elaborated as a dance style. It is argued to be beauty pagent like, as many loose themselves under pressure. Putting structures into place, with the North American influence and the Worldwide acknowledgement has expressed the evolvement. Many argue it is more about the image rather than the dancing, which expresses escapism for a dancer as an individual. It has is about the glamiourisation of the dance as well as the dancer.
With a solo outfit the dancer can pick any dress of any color and style to wear. And many girls love this as they can customize and taylor dresses to their own personality. Base fabrics were often wool or velvet with traditional Celtic embroidery and crocheted collars. Some sleeves, like on my red dress, had large cuffs at the wrist, ideal for stashing hairnets and bobby pins, necessary tools to keep our curls in place before wigs replaced our foam rollers and mousse. The bodice of the dress hit at the natural waist, with the paneled skirt flaring out from there and landing an inch or two above the knee. Primary colors and jewel tones were common.
Some still nod to traditional Celtic designs, but many seem to have left them behind for more modern shapes. The skirts are shorter, the bodices tighter, and the crystals are pervasive. The wigs, stage makeup, and self-tanned legs elicit comparisons to beauty pageants, but Irish dancing is so much more than that. It’s grueling, physical work to make your body move with equal parts power and control. “In Irish dance, the makeup, and wig, and costume and everything is literally for first impressions.� There is freedom for a dancer to choose what to wear for a dress and hair, how much they want to compete to show their designs.
TRENDS
When fluorescent neon brightened solo dresses in the 1990s, that was a huge change. The evolution of Irish dance dress styles to incorporate lighter fabrics, this allowed dancer to design their own dresses that had limitied celtic symbolism. . The extreme costumes of Irish dance champions have been the subject of many debates and exposes.
“ The fashion trend entails design focus and details on a garment noticed at different locations of the garment namely collars and necklines, hem lines, waist lines, shoulder line, sleeve lines and hip lines.�
“ It is self-knowledge and self-confidence expressed through what you choose to wear, a life-affirming expression of your character and spirit.”
IDENTITY AND SELF EXPRESSION CHALLENGED
“Identity mirrors the images of others”
“Self-expression can be the most important way for people to connect, navigate and grow with each other. Using all the conversations to connect with others to share a common view of the world, establishing a selfground with others around you. With style, we stamp our own personal identity arrangement of things. Style is important, often undervalued because it’s widely misunderstood.”
Celebrity endorsement can play a role in self-creation, because they are expressions of the sort of person they idealise to be. Thus, to the extent that the notion of self-expression is an uninteresting concept, so is the notion of identity constitution. Relating to the aesthetic in which the dress is designed and the amount of detail, it characterises an individual to be able to be creative and selfexpressive to build an identity through the garment.
“ Fashion stuns. Style delights. Fashion costs. Style is priceless. Fashion is mindless. Style is intelligent. Fashion is fascistic. Style is individualistic. Fashion changes. Style evolves. Fashion is matter. Style is spirit. Fashion comes from the outside.Style within. Fashion is clothes. Style is character.”
“ Style is what we really want when we say we want to be fashionable. Style delights because it is always fresh, is a little ode to creativity and novelty. It gives a hint of personality, always a little excursion into self-expression. It is a reflection of your unique complexity as a human being.”
The self-expression through the Irish Dancing garment is the design individuals design for their garment. As well as being self-expressive the function of the garment is also to communicate a message, this is through the designs being more modern and on trend relating with an audience. It is able to tell a dancer’s story through the dress, this can be done through a theme, culture or style that is communicated. The client’s for designers, will send through rough ideas of designs. Mainly fashion inspired outfits, promoted by celebrities.
IMPORTANCE
“ The older the dancer the change in the costumes design. Having much more diamantes, tiaras, and intricate designs, reflecting a status within the dancing community as you are to become more acknowledged as a competitor. It is also down to the wealth of the dancer, the bigger and the more elaborated the design the more money used for the production design. Stating status as well as the wealth of the dancer.�
STATUS
We have many different identities, that overlap and intersect this can be due to the power relations within a group and how the connection of communication has an influence in the way you connect with others. Expressing who we are or who we want to be can be challenging when put into words, it is a lot easier to put into words who we don’t want to be or avoid looking like. Such as the branding of people through the way they dress, being known as not feminine, not too slutty, or childish. One identity blur into another identity such as our gender into our sexuality. “Breward (1995) identifies the middle to late sixteenth century as a time when there was a heightened self-consciousness about identity as something that could be individually “fashioned”.
FASHION
“ Appearance style can now visually articulate multiple and overlapping identities such as gender, race, age, ethnicity, social class, all sexuality, national identity, and personal interests, aesthetic, and politics.”
In the eighteenth century, consumers began to establish more personalised relationships with individuality, modernity, culture, and clothing. This then developed in the nineteenth century as a sense of identity was established by one’s possessions, looking at how they dressed as well as their overall possessions they had formed them an identity. They are complex and contradictory, and they enable us to express who we might become.
IDENTITY
“ Modernity itself created fragmentation and dislocation, producing a paradoxical sense of what it meant to be an individual.�