A Coat of Many Colors investigates Israel's first seven years as a sovereign state through the unusual prism of dress. Clothes worn by Israelis in the 1950s refl ected political ideo-logies, economic conditions, military priorities, social distinctions, and cultural preferences, and all played a part in consolidating a new national identity. Based on a wide range of textual and visual historical documents, the book covers both what Israelis wore in various circumstances and what they said and wrote about clothing and fashion. Written in a clear and accessible style that will appeal to the general reader as well as to students and scholars, A Coat of Many Colors introduces the reader both to Israel's history during its formative years and to the rich fi eld of dress culture.

Autorentext

Anat Helman (Ph.D. Hebrew University) is a lecturer in the Jewish History Department and the Cultural Studies Program at Hebrew University. Her most recent publications include: Tel Aviv's Culture during the Mandate Era (in Hebrew) and The Voice of the First Hebrew City to its Residents: Municipal Posters in Mandate Era Tel Aviv, with Yael Reshef (in Hebrew, forthcoming in Israel).