Infusing popular culture into the museum experience via historic dress: Visitor perceptions of Titanic’s Rose as a living history interpreter/character

The historical event of Titanic has been commodified in order to allow tourists and enthusiasts to relive the tragedy and its historical significance via many popular culture outlets (Biel, 1996), such as the 1997 Titanic film and Titanic Museum Attractions (TMAs) in Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The hallmark of these venues is an interactive experience, including the integration of the fictional character Rose via displays of historic dress artifacts and interpreters wearing film costume to bring the narrative of the historical event to life. The use of a Rose living history interpreter (LHI) is an applied example of living history

Visual rhetoric: Significance and application to fashion and dress scholarship

Numerous scholars have emphasized the importance of theory related to the advancement of scholarly endeavors within the clothing and textile discipline. The development of theory related to visual rhetoric (VR) represents an interdisciplinary approach that can be applied to fashion and dress (FD) scholarship. Though not a conventional theory with which to examine FD, VR is a valid perspective with which to analyze the symbolic processes by which FD perform communication

Developing theoretical thinking skills in dress scholarship: An exercise in relational statement identification and analysis

Pedersen (2008-2009) began a discussion of theory development in interpretive dress history scholarship and explained “that there [are] multiple ways to develop and apply theory” and one such way is to identify and analyze relational statements (RSs) (Pedersen, Buckland, & Bates, 2008-2009, p. 73). RSs, Pedersen argued, are important in developing an understanding of the formation of theory at a micro-level. Thinking theoretically is an important skill, but one that should be actively practiced and applied if it is going to aid in professional development and advance scholarship

Re-evaluation of Laver’s Law in the context of fashion trend revival

There is significant research that does shows historical continuity in fashion trends (e.g., Lowe & Lowe, 1983). These theories and research methods are used today by many designers, fashion forecasters and trend analyzers (e.g., Seivewright, 2012);; Laver’s Law of Fashion is one such theoretical framework

Reviving the Development of Hypermedia Resources for Historic Dress Courses

The purpose of this paper is to revive the dormant discussion about hypermedia resources for historic dress courses. We argue that hypermedia resources, and image-based resources in particular, should be developed and utilized by instructors to assist students in mastering content. A website containing historic dress hypermedia resources was developed by the authors because it is important to begin the revival. Forty-two students in the Fall 2016 historic dress course at a Midwestern university had the opportunity to use the hypermedia resource and provide qualitative feedback. Initial review of the data has indicated that students found the website and the content formats useful

What skills and knowledge do clothing and textile graduates need for the workforce? Qualitative reflections from clothing and textile faculty and industry professionals

The question of how to best prepare students for jobs in the fast-paced and ever-changing clothing and textiles (CT) industry is important because students face an increasingly competitive job market upon graduation. CT scholars have consistently conducted research with this question as their foundation (e.g., Albloushy, Frazier, & Yun, 2012; Hodges, Yurchisin, Karpova, Marcketti, Hegland, & Yan, 2012; Kean, Eckman, Ellis, Miller, & Vineyard, 2013; Ma & Hahn, 2014). The purpose of this study was to provide an updated assessment of the skills and knowledge that CT faculty and industry professionals have deemed critical and marketable for students to succeed in industry jobs. In so doing, the work of the aforementioned scholars is updated and available for faculty use to assist with teaching and curriculum development processes

Student and faculty perceptions of the development and use of Massive Open Online Courses in clothing and textiles education

Online learning environments are increasingly common in clothing and textiles (CT) education (e.g., see “Special Courses” on itaaonline.org). The newest variation is called a Massive Open Online Course (or MOOC). MOOCs are similar to college courses, but were developed in an attempt to revolutionize higher education. They are online courses aiming at large-scale global participation (e.g., up to thousands of students). Students can work at their own pace and on their own time, as well as further enhance learning through the use of social media for peer-interaction

Student, faculty, and industry perceptions of the development and use of Massive Open Online Courses in clothing and textiles education: Continuing studies

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) rose to popularity in 2012. Jawaharlal (2015) explains that MOOCs are transforming from a “social experiment to becoming a standard” as online courses and learning platforms become more accepted in higher education (para. 11). This paper extends the ongoing discussion about MOOCs in clothing and textile education (CT) (see Reeves-DeArmond, Mower, & Nishida, 2013, 2014) and presents the results of a study that explored student, faculty, and industry professionals’ perceptions of MOOCs in CT education. This paper also adds to the ongoing discussion by including the perceptions of CT industry professionals

Student and faculty perceptions of online clothing and textile courses

An exploratory evaluation of ITAA proceedings from the past five years indicates that there have been limited studies regarding practices and assignments in online clothing and textile (CT) courses. It is important to continue assessment of online education in the CT discipline because the most recent “Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States” report indicates that 31.1% of college students are enrolled in an online course with a 10% or more increase in enrollment each year since 2002 (Allen & Seaman, 2013). The purpose of this research was to obtain perceptions and evaluations regarding CT online courses. In so doing, the current status of online education in this discipline can be assessed and potentially improved

Understanding historical events through dress and costume displays in Titanic museum attractions

The sinking of the RMS Titanic has achieved a difficult feat – it has remained culturally relevant. The dedication of the general public to understanding Titanic is evident in many avenues of popular and consumer culture. For those individuals who did not get enough of the 1997 Titanic movie, there are numerous Titanic museums and attractions to visit. What interests me as a scholar of historic dress is that the 1997 film is often used as a lens through which the historical events are interpreted and understood. More specifically the character of Rose (from the 1997 Titanic movie) has been translated from a film character to a living history character. Rose has become an integral part of the marketing and exhibiting techniques at some Titanic museum attractions. The purpose of this research was to conduct an introductory exploration of the role of film costume iconography in learning about a historical event and the development of a personal connection with an iconic character in the context of that event. Four permanent Titanic museum attractions were selected as sites of study: museum attractions in Branson, Missouri; Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; and Las Vegas, Nevada. A total of 32 participants were included. Both museum attraction visitors and staff participated in this study; twenty-nine participants were classified as visitors and three participants were classified as staff. Phenomenological and inductive approaches were undertaken. Qualitative (personal phenomenology, phenomenological interviews, and brief participant observation) data collection techniques were employed. Both descriptive and experiential phenomenological and narrative approaches were combined to analyze the resulting data. I utilized a descriptive phenomenological method outlined by Giorgi and Giorgi (2003), and I made modifications to the procedure to fit the unique needs of my data. Data collection occurred in two phases at each location. In phase one, I participated in personal phenomenology during a visit to each museum attraction. In phase two, I collected data with participants. Data collection with visitor participants occurred in three stages: (1) pre-museum attraction visit interview, (2) the participant visited a Titanic museum attraction, and (3) post-museum attraction visit interview. I collected data with each staff participant during one interview. The findings of this study revealed that there are many perspectives from which to tell the story of Titanic and help museum attraction visitors learn the history of the ill-fated ship. I found that Rose did not factor into the decision of the participants to visit a Titanic museum attraction. If a participant learned from or about Rose, she did not factor into the learning or personal meaning-making process until he or she was inside the museum attraction. It was more common for participants to relate to the historical events of Titanic through the movie as a whole, as opposed to the specific character of Rose. The scenario of including a Rose living history interpreter as part of the lived experience of a museum visit elicited a wide range of reactions from participants. It was more common for participants to oppose the presence of a Rose living history interpreter than favor her presence. Several participants reported instances when they drew a spontaneous connection to the movie or were reminded of the movie in their own mind. Several participants used the movie as a foundation to build further historical understanding about Titanic. Some participants used the movie as a source of comparison to explore or confirm the accuracy of the movie. The primary difference in the museum attraction experience for visitors who had not seen the movie was that they encountered difficulty in relating and paying attention to any content or reference to the movie. A general phenomenological structure was formed from the data. As part of this study, I sought to further expand the body of literature that applies visual rhetorical theory and semiotic theory to dress and costume. A discussion of the resulting theoretical implications is included. An outcome of the phenomenological data collection and analysis was a list of recommendations for future practice specifically related to the display of dress and costume in both Titanic museum attractions and museums in general. I conclude with recommendations for future research and a reflective summary