Male plumage

When it comes to the size of the wardrobe, it would seem that the obvious conclusion is that the range and variety of men's clothes cannot be bigger and wider than those of women's. However, the contents of one tome of fashion history provide ample grounds for putting up an opposing argument that menswear creations are no small fry.

Read One Hundred Years of Menswear by UK-based fashion historian Cally Blackman, who documents the evolution of men's fashion since the days of the "it's all about suits" era in the 1900s, progressing to working-class garments and denims, and terminating with today's genderless-outfit movement, and discover how menswear dominates and influences women's clothes today.

Packed with images of Hollywood-style icons, artistic personalities as well as pictures of street fashion archived in the media, this rich compilation stands out for its examination of the practical and rebellious sides of menswear. The extraordinary historical photographs and illustrations are accompanied by in-depth information and the author's enlightening comments.

On the 313 pages, Blackman explores how men in the 20th century expressed their sartorial styles, not just by wearing beautifully cut suits but also by dressing in ways that were avant-garde, daring, innovative, even subversive, for that period. And, to quote her, "they were doing this to a much larger extent than women."

'One Hundred Years of Menswear' is available at Asia Books.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/leisure/book/25820/male-plumage