Sneakers: Fashion, Gender, and Subculture

Description

Cover Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction: Placing Sneakers within Sociology Sneakers and youth subcultures within sociology Subcultural ethnography as an outsider/insider researcher A background of the sneaker industry Literature on sneakers Outline of the book 1 Academic Research on Footwear The sociocultural significance of footwear Footwear in fashion and dress studies Studies on historical footwear Footwear and sumptuary laws Footwear in rituals and religion Footwear as a fetish object Conclusion 2 Sneakers as a Subculture: Emerging from Underground to Upperground Three waves of the sneaker phenomenon The First Wave pre-Jordan Phenomenon as an underground subculture Rejection of a legitimate aesthetic taste The Second Wave post-Jordan Sneaker Phenomenon The production of new sneaker technologies Controversies and debates to strengthen the subcultural bond Conclusion 3 Sneakers as a Symbol of Manhood: Wearing Masculinity on Their Feet Footwear and gender High heels: Mobility for men and immobility for women A male material object that binds subcultural members The exploration of masculinity in subcultures Male socialization through sneaker trading using social capital Distinguishing oneself from a female shopper as a male entrepreneur The culture of endorsement: The personification of success The increasing significance of gender and the declining significance of race The construction of masculine identity Conclusion 4 Sneakers as Fashion: Reclaiming Masculine Adornment A functional shift from practicality to adornment Reclaiming fashion and adornment as a male affair In pursuit of limited edition sneakers: Neophilias and neomanias The Third Wave Sneaker Phenomenon: Sneaker hunting as a game The commodification and diffusion of sneaker subculture Sneakers as part of the growing streetwear industry Sneakers as postmodern fashion: Transcending categorical boundaries Conclusion 5 The Sneaker Subculture from Durkheimian Perspectives Connecting theory and practice Transition from modernity to postmodernity Overcoming accelerated anomie in postmodern society Social cohesion, collective conscience, and mechanical/organic solidarity Conclusion Conclusion: Future Directions and Possibilities in Footwear Studies Notes Bibliography Index