Fashion is a spectacular part of everyone’s life: we all wear clothes and get dressed. Every time we wear something, it’s an opportunity to tell the world something without saying a word.
But fashion goes far beyond our contemporary experiences — it is tied into every aspect of our history and can even play important roles in social movements. Fashion is often tied to our economy, and trends can speak to the collective experience of a society. The best fashion books leave you with many lessons learned and, more importantly, many more questions to keep you on a learning journey.
Whether you’re looking for coffee table books, are an aspiring designer, or want to dive deep into the history of fashion, below are 27 of the best fashion books available today.
Streetwear
“The Incomplete: Highsnobiety Guide to Street Fashion and Culture,” available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $48.12
Streetwear is one of the biggest driving forces in fashion today. This book tells the story of where street fashion meets culture, including on local and global levels. It digs into the impacts of youth-driven movements, of hip hop, and of creatives like Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. If you want to understand the profound impact of brands like Off-White, Dickies, Carhart, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Supreme, and more, the knowledge is within the page’s of this Highsnobiety Guide.
“Soled Out: The Golden Age of Sneaker Advertising” by Sneaker Freaker
With its 720 pages, this book doubles as a gym weight and a tome of knowledge and inspiration. Rather than go into the history of sneakers and their increasing popularity, “Soled Out” focuses on the role of advertising and marketing through an assortment of print ads from the 1970s to the 2000s. If you want to understand the genius of marketing and how it has uplifted today’s most popular shoes, you’ll find it here across artifacts from Adidas, Nike, Jordan, New Balance, and more.
“Dressing the Resistance: The Visual Language of Protest Through History” by Camille Benda
“Dressing the Resistance: The Visual Language of Protest Through History,” available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $23.16
Fashion always plays a role in social movements and societal change. “Dressing the Resistance” explores the meanings of different colors and even goes beyond clothing. Costume designer and fashion historian Camille Benda breaks down the visual language of fashion in protest through nearly 200 images and paintings. Reading this will not only help you understand how fashions of protests have worked themselves into the average wardrobe, but also the power you hold in your own closet.
“Fashion and Politics,” available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $45
Fashion is a fun mode of self-expression, but it always plays roles in other spheres like politics. In “Fashion and Politics,” Djurdja Barlett explores the intersection of fashion and politics. If you want to understand fashion’s complex role in the saba sport political sphere, this book is a must-have. Through contributor essays with philosophical and historical perspectives, this book discusses nationalism, oppression, individualism, decolonization, and surveillance in tandem with fashion.
“Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style” by Jason Jules and Graham Marsh
“Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style,” available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $46.45
The Oxford button-down shirt, loafer, and three-button jacket are classic silhouettes of the preppy, Ivy style. This book takes you on a fascinating journey to understand how Black men took the look and infused it with new life that continues to influence today’s Ivy styles and menswear. Figures discussed include Malcolm X, James Baldwin, John Coltrane, Sidney Poitier, and many more.
“Androgyne: Fashion and Gender,” available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $52.01
Androgyne is an exploration of fashion and gender, focusing on ways gender lines have been blurred through garments long ago and in contemporary examples. The book explores the reasons behind androgyne’s resurgence as well as comparing images across time and across cultures. You’ll recognize icons cited throughout the book like Grace Jones, David Bowie, and brands pushing the conversation forward like Gucci.