Nostalgia, myth and memories of dress: the cultural memory of Madchester

Atkin, Susan (2023) Nostalgia, myth and memories of dress: the cultural memory of Madchester. In: Memories of Dress: recollections of material identities. Bloomsbury Academic, pp. 76-96. ISBN 9781350153790 (hardback); 9781350153806 (ebook); 9781350153813 (ebook)

Preview

Accepted Version Available under License In Copyright. Download (545kB) | Preview

Abstract

This chapter investigates the contribution of fashion to the cultural identity of Manchester, England. It focuses on the dress of men who were initiators of the Madchester movement (1985-1996), a key period in the popular history and cultural memory of the city. In this period Manchester was a post-industrial city with strong popular music and leisure sectors that reflect a subversive stance toward mainstream society infused with working-class, left-wing cultural and political roots. The chapter uses oral testimony and supporting visual and material culture to investigate how the dress of Mancunian men participating in the scene contributed to this subversion of mainstream culture during a transitional phase of class identity through music, leisure and sartorial practices. The chapter considers male experiences of subcultural dress within contexts of traditional working-class life, and how they were inspired by and used American culture to reflect a sense of self and belonging.