Topic: You decide your topic for this essay, so this is a fantastic opportunity to write about something in the history and cultures of dress, fashion, and consumption that really interests you. Ideas might include:
• The history of a specific trend or style • How an individual (past or present) has used fashion to construct a public image • Histories of shopping and retail • The role of online shopping • BIPOC fashion histories • LGBTQIA+ fashion histories
Structure: Your essay should have a clear introduction, in which you set out your argument/analytical perspective and the aims of the essay. This should be followed by 4-5 clear points, backed up using primary and secondary materials, which support your argument. Your essay should finish with a conclusion that summarises how your sources supported your argument.
Sources: Your essay should engage with at least 10 academic secondary sources. See the online resource list for suggestions and watch the tutorial on blackboard to see how to search for your own. If appropriate for your topic, you should also use some primary sources. These could be objects from a museum website, an interview transcript, the results of a survey, or evidence from statistics, company websites, or the trade press. You may also want to include images as evidence (not simply illustrative). These must also be properly cited as sources.
Bibliography: Your essay must have a bibliography in the Harvard style (https://library.dmu.ac.ukirefquide/harvard). Ideally, separate out your primary and secondary sources, as below: Primary Sources Primary Source 1 Secondary Sources Secondary Source 1
