Analyzing nationalized clothing: nationalism theory meets fashion studies

ABSTRACT

Many key problems in the study nationalism theory can be examined through the lens of clothing practices. This article relates the study of clothing to nationalism theory. It suggests clothing is an example of Billig’s ‘banal nationalism.’ Asking who is forbidden, obliged, or permitted to wear nationalized clothing reveals how patriots imagine the national community. Plans to introduce a national costume hint at the imagined locus of sovereignty. Finally, debates over the authenticity of national costume mirror the Warwick debate. Clothing thus forms a useful object of study for nationalism theorists.

KEYWORDS:

• Nationalism theory
• fashion theory
• banal nationalism
• clothing
• everyday nationalism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Alexander Maxwell is senior lecturer in history at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He completed his PhD at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He taught in Wales and Nevada before joining Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. He is the author of Choosing Slovakia, patriots against fashion and the forthcoming Everyday nationalism in Hungary.