Exhibition questions function of fashion

For most, clothing serves as fashion and function. But can fashion be purely sexual? "The Allure of Clothing: Function, Fashion, Fantasy and Fetish," a new exhibit at the Mathers Museum, takes the question of fashion, clothing and function one step further. \nKelly Wherley, facility coordinator, said the exhibit has been well received. \n"We had a nice reception with about 200 people, and people trickle in and out to come and see it," Wherley said. \nThe exhibit is a collaboration of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, The Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection and the Mathers Museum, located at 416 N. Indiana Ave. From shoes to bustier, the exhibit examines what fashions can be considered fetish and fashion and types of clothing that blur those distinctions.\nJudy Kirk, assistant director of the Mathers Museum, worked on the exhibit from its inception. \n"This was a collaborative effort from Kate Rowold, the curator of the Sage Collection, Catherine Johnson-Roehr, the curator of the Kinsey Institute, and Matt Sieber and Elaine Gual, co-curators of exhibits at the Mathers Museum," Kirk said. "Catherine and Kate were the main curators of this exhibit."\n"The Allure of Clothing" opened with an explanation of fantasy and fetish and their associations with everyday clothing. The exhibit explored topics that were often considered personal fetish and turned into fashion trends.\n"People's view clothing changes so often. It becomes not only functional, but we associate it with what is attractive, and we wanted to explore the themes associated with clothing and sexuality and morals and modesty," Kirk said.\nThe clothing was presented with a thorough historical background on each piece and concept. \nIt began with a section titled "The Erotic Foot: Lotus Shoes to high heels," which not only explored the fashion side of footwear but the sensual fetish side associated with thigh-high boots and daring, sexy high heels.\n"Shoes and feet are objects of adoration and a means of physically attracting someone else," Kirk said. "The Lotus slippers are not just an isolated example -- it really is a cross-cultural symbol of adornment."\nThe clothing follows a circular arrangement and ranges from underwear, bathing suits, "gender bending" clothing and an assortment of private coverings, including a chastity belt. \nThe bathing suit exhibit titled "Dressed to Swim" featured an array of bathing garments. For the pre-baby boomer generation, men's bathing suits often included a mock belt or zipper to maintain a look of modesty similar to regular pants. This was of particular interest for Bloomington resident Kate Burland and her husband Matt.\n"You can tell that people covered up a lot more and were much more concerned with the idea of modesty," Kate Burland said.\n"Nothing was too risky," Matt Burland said.\nThe exhibit included photographs expanding on the concepts and collections. These concepts aided in the explanation of clothing's place as fashion, fetish or fantasy.\n"The idea that clothing can be either fashion fantasy or fetish has really been blurred. Madonna can wear a cone bustier and it is considered fashion when it was once considered underwear or something sexual," Kirk said.\nThe exhibit is open to the public but may be unsuitable for young children. The exhibit will be showing until Dec. 23, 2005. For more information call the Mathers Museum at 855-6873 or visit www.indiana.edu/~mathers/index.html.\n-- Contact staff writer Jamie Cohen at jrcohen@indiana.edu.