The intertwining of our clothes and our Constitution raise fundamental questions of hierarchy, sexuality, and democracy. From our hairstyles to our shoes, constitutional considerations both constrain and confirm our daily choices. In turn, our attire and appearance provide multilayered perspectives on the United States Constitution and its interpretations. Our garments often raise First Amendment issues of expression or religion, but they also prompt questions of equality on the basis of gender, race, and sexuality. At work, in court, in schools, in prisons, and on the streets, our clothes and grooming provoke constitutional controversies. Additionally, the production, trade, and consumption of apparel implicates constitutional concerns including colonial sumptuary laws, slavery, wage and hour laws, and current notions of free trade. The regulation of what we wear – or don't – is ubiquitous. From a noted constitutional scholar and commentator, this book examines the rights to expression and equality, as well as the restraints on government power, as they both limit and allow control of our most personal choices of attire and grooming.

Reviews & endorsements

"Dressing Constitutionally is an important book on an important subject: how the law affects how we look and what forms of self- expression are protected. Combining thorough research and engaging stories, Robson’s account should make us rethink the role of constitutional doctrine, and its affect on personal liberty and social equality." - Deborah L. Rhode, E.W. McFarland Professor of Law, Stanford University

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Product details

• Date Published: July 2013
• format: Paperback
• isbn: 9780521140041
• length: 266 pages

• dimensions: 228 x 153 x 14 mm
• weight: 0.37kg
• availability: Available