THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FASHION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AMERICAN CAREER WOMEN AS SEEN IN THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

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THESIS

Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of Requirement

for the Sarjana Sastra Degree in the English Department Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts

Sebelas Maret University

By:

RENY FIAN ABRITA

C0304005

FACULTY OF LETTERS AND FINE ARTS

SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY

SURAKARTA

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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FASHION IN THE CONSTRUCTION

OF AMERICAN CAREER WOMEN AS SEEN IN

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

By:

RENY FIAN ABRITA C0304005

Approved to be examined by the Board of Examiners Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts

Sebelas Maret University

Thesis Supervisor

Dra. Sri Kusumo Habsari, M. Hum, Ph.D NIP. 196703231995122001

The Head of English Department

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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FASHION IN THE CONSTRUCTION

OF AMERICAN CAREER WOMEN AS SEEN IN

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

By:

RENY FIAN ABRITA C0304005

Accepted to be examined by the Board of Examiners Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts Sebelas Maret Univertisty

On February 2010

The Board Examiners:

Chairman Dra. Nani Sukarni, M.S ( )

NIP. 195103211981032002

Secretary Yusuf Kurniawan, S.S, M.A ( )

NIP. 197111301999031001

First Examiner Dra. S.K Habsari, M.Hum, Ph.D ( ) NIP. 196703231995122001

Second Examiner Dra. Susilorini, M.A ( )

NIP. 196506011992032002

Dean of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts Sebelas Maret University

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PRONOUNCEMENT

NAME

: RENY FIAN ABRITA

NIM

: C 0304005

Stated whole-heartedly that this thesis entitled “THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FASHION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AMERICAN CAREER WOMEN AS SEEN IN THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA_{”, is originally made by}

the researcher. It is neither a plagiarism nor is made by other. The things related to other’s people work are written in quotation and included in bibliography.

If it is discovered and proved that this pronouncement is dishonest, the researcher willingly accepts any penalties from English Department of Sebelas Maret University.

Surakarta, February 2010

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MOTTO

“...I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly...

I do what it takes till I touch the sky

Make a Wish

Take a Chance

Make a Change

And

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DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to:

My beloved Pak Soenar and Bu Soenar,

You’re the best I’ve ever had in my life

My Brother, Wempy H.K, S.H and wife

My Cute Little Nephew, Putra

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Alhamdulillah. Thanks to Allah SWT to lead me in the journey of my life and be my guidance to finish this thesis.

I would like to express my gratitude for all those who gave me the possibility to complete this thesis. I want to thank Drs. Sudarno, MA, the Dean of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts for the approval of this thesis, Dr. Djatmika, MA, the Head of English Department, for the permission to write this thesis and all of English Department lecturers for giving me so much knowledge and deeper understanding of American Studies.

I am deeply indebted to my thesis supervisor, Dra. Sri Kusumo Habsari, M.Hum, Ph.D, thousands of gratitude can not be compared with all which you’ve given to me, I should say that you’re my real tutor.

My friends under “Bu Habsari” supervision, Rosalina, Risky Ady and Sonny, thanks for all of your supports, interests and valuable hints which help me to complete this thesis. I also would like to thank my best friends, Ria, Martha, Hilda and Ingrid, also Ika and Santi in Jakarta, for being my true friends who always understand me in the proccess of my life. My former friends in English Department, especially American Studies ’04, thanks for all valuable sharing we’d ever done.

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ABSTRACT

Reny Fian Abrita. C0304005. The Significance of Fashion in The Construction of American Career Women As Seen in The Devil Wears Prada_.

Thesis. English Department. Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts. University of Sebelas Maret Surakarta.

This thesis is written based on researching a movie entitled The Devil Wears Prada, directed by David Frankel. It is purposed to explain how the movie constructs American successful career women through their fashion styles and how this fashion style leads women into object of spectacle by male gaze which results the issue of female body objectification.

The research is descriptive qualitative of which the main data are in the form of characterization of the characters, costumes, dialogue, gesture and visual expression, and other cinematographic elements of the movie. The supporting data are taken from other sources such as, film reviews, books, and some internet articles related to the movie. It is also supported by some articles of American women’s issues to answer the research question.

Since the research is in the scope of American study which is an interdisciplinary study, it involves some disciplines which are applied in the form of theory and approach. In answering the research questions, this research applies some theories and approaches including semiotic film theory, sosio cultural approach and feminists approach as its point of view.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Research Background

Fashion is actually something that can be found everywhere and everytime. Fashion seems to be an important thing because it is considered as the reflection of one’s self. Cyntia Durcanin, the editor of ELLE magazine, has said that “Most of all fashion is about being comfortable with yourself, translating self-esteem into a personal style”. At a glance it looks like, being fashionable is being comfortable with one’s self, but then the word ”translating self-esteem” has to be underlined to understand more about being fashionable.

Fashion itself is like a “mirror phase” which reveal the creation of cultural myth. Clothing and other kinds of ornamentation make the human body culturally visible...clothing draws the body so that it can be culturally seen, articulates it in a meaning form

(http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2001/4/01.04.11.x.html). Fashion brings the image of people who wear it and has a contribution to send the cultural message in the society. Since women are more attracted in fashion rather than men, the image of women in fashion becomes a highly politicized issue in the society.

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types of behavior can be restricted and regulated into acceptable norms, a set of injunctions prescribing ways to dress, act, or conduct oneself, as in a dress code. Nowadays, women in the work field are restricted in this terms of dress code to show their identity as real career women through their fashion choices. They call this as a “dress for success”. Women’s fashion choices can be considered as a sign of women’s success in the work place. Many media expose this phenomenon and make sure their consumers, especially women to believe in this message.

One of the media which describes this phenomenon is movie. The emergence of fashion movie is spread out all over the world to show the great influence of fashion. The Devil Wears Prada, one of the box office movie, is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 comedy drama film. The movie is a loose screen adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel of the same name. The writer used to work as an assistant at Vogue and had the experience to depict fashion magazines as management style and self-enchantment of the society. The Devil Wears Prada has brought many issues of women’s life through the characterization of women in the work place and their fashion choices since it is a fashion movie background. Ginia Bellafante in MSN movie review stated that the movie “has successfully gained valuable experience in depicting women at work

and play in a glamorous and exciting New York”

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reflects the ideological image of women’s body trough fashion style and female “empowernment” by the characterization of American career women.

The Devil Wears Prada tells about the struggle of Andrea Sach to get a job as an assistant of Miranda Priestly, editor of Runaway magazine, in which many girls are willing to die for this job. At first, she fits in poorly among gossip of fashion that makes up the magazine’s staff. It seems very difficult for her to do the job competently with her lack of style. Sometimes, she feels underpressure to work with Miranda because of Miranda’s hard grading toward her assistant. As Andrea doesn’t want just to be defeated, she tries to do many things including learning her job better and changing her appearance through the new fashion style. Gradually, with the help of the art editor, Nigel, Andrea starts to dress more stylishly and can do her job competently. By her new appearance, it seems that she has got her success in career. Even, she replaces Emily, Miranda’s first assistant, to attend Paris Fashion Week with Miranda. In Paris, Andrea realizes that she has sacrificed many things especially her personal life to get ahead toward her career. She decides to quit from her previous job since she doesn’t want to stand in something which doesn’t fit her. However, for Andrea, Miranda’s hard grading has unconsiously made her to be a better person and led her to get the opportunity as a journalist, her dream job.

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women’s issues especially in the work place. It is also a story about life choice, individual freedom, Cinderella love story and the pursuit of happiness, in the highly issue of feminism idea. By analyzing The Devil Wears Prada, it opens our understanding on how fashion and women have closely relationship to construct the image of women especially in the work place. The movie clearly depicts the social condition of American career women through fashion industry background that has influenced their way of thinking. It is interesting to analyze The Devil Wears Prada since it presents a great issue of fashion industry which closely related to the women’s problem that emerge in American society nowadays.

B. Scope of Study

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C. Problem Statements This research is aimed to answer two questions:

1. How does the movie construct the image of successful career women through its primary heroines, Andrea Sach and Miranda Priestly in the great influence of fashion industry?

2. How is the female body objectified and exploited by fashion style in The Devil Wears Prada movie?

D. Objective of the Study The Objectives of the study are:

1. To explain how the movie constructs the image of successful career women through its primary heroines, Andrea Sach and Miranda Priestly in the great influence of fashion industry.

2. To explain how female body is objectified and exploited by fashion style in The Devil Wears Prada movie.

E. Benefits of the Study

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research is expected to give a bigger contribution to American studies, because instead of giving description, this research tries to reveal the case of American experience that shapes American women, particularly New York career women. Hopefully, it gives many benefits in understanding American culture and New York career women. This research is also intended to:

1. Give contribution in understanding American society, its culture and its experience especially American women to American studies students in Sebelas Maret University.

2. Give additional information to the other researchers especially in American Studies Program, Sebelas Maret University.

F. Method of the Study

This research is a descriptive qualitative research which applies library or referential study. It means that the research uses all possibilities by reading many references to collect data and to gather more information in supporting data.

The source of data for this research is the movie entitled The Devil Wears Prada as the main data, criticism about the film, film reviews, comments and columns or article about fashion industry and career women in America especially New York city available in several media.

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a. Main data: the main data are the images of fashion industry, costume, behavior of the characters as career women and also from the cinematographic elements of the movie entitled The Devil Wears Prada directed by David Frankel, released in 2006 by 20th Century Fox, New York.

b. Supporting data: the supporting data are collected from other sources, such as criticism of the film and film reviews, comments and columns or article about American career women and its dress code and also some feminist articles about female body and fashion available in several media.

2. Technique of Collecting Data

The data are collected by a close activity of watching the movie as the source of main data and also by a close reading of the supporting data. Afterwards, this research put some necessary dialogues, the cinematographic expression from the main data and some important facts from the supporting data, then compiles them into one thesis organization.

3. Technique of Analyzing the Data

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G. Theoretical Approach

American studies is an interdisciplinary study which explores American experience and its process attached in each product of American culture. Campbell and Kean in American Cultural Studies: An Introduction of American Culture have stated that,

American studies from the beginning has been concerned to explore the possibilities of cooperation between practitioners from different disciplines and even to develop an interdisclipinary methodology with its own distinctive working practices (Campbell and Kean, 1978: 2).

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One of the essential field of American studies is the study of popular culture. Popular culture emerges from the urbanisation of the industrial revolution, which identifies the term with the usual definitions of 'mass culture'. It is seen as a commercial culture, mass produced for mass consumption (http://www.aim.edu.au/verve/_resources/PCA_Mod_1_1.pdf). Popular culture in American society is contradictory to its core of mass consumption. On the one hand it is industrialized – its commodities are produced and distributed by a profit motivated industry that follows only its own economic interest. But, on the other hand it is about the people and the people’s interest – as is evidenced by the number of popular products including film. Here, to be made into popular culture, the commodity must also bear the interest of people (Fiske, 1990: 20-21). Film as a product of popular culture is not only a mass consumption but it is merely translating the active process of American culture within its social system. The correlation between film and American culture has also elaborated by Jonathan Auerbach through his article entitled American Studies and Film, Blindness and Insight. He has stated that fiilm can be a resource for understanding U.S culture. His examination on The Seven Lively Arts by Seldes, shows that,

The Seven Lively Arts sought to collapse the gulf between high and low culture, and in particular made film available for serious analysis by seeing it as an expression of a country’s ideals and values. Movies and the other lively arts were characteristically American in their democratizing potential.

( Auerbach, 2006: 34-35).

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beliefs and desires in the society (ibid: 31-39). Therefore, it is clear that film as one of American popular culture products, reveals the contextual meaning of the society’s beliefs and values. Since, this research is mainly about film, semiotic film theory is needed to understand the contextual meaning brought by the movie. The semiotic film theory used in this movie research is the semiotic principal on categories of signs and codes by some semiotic film theorists prominent.

As film consists of many sign and codes, it covertly reveals meaning and polemic. Semiotic film theory is needed to interpret not only the words or sentence but also the social meaning beneath those signs and codes in connection with the problem statements. Before analyzing the principal categories of sign and code in the film, a brief sketch on Saussure theory on general linguistic as the basic knowledge of semiotic film theory is also needed. Saussure’s Course of General Linguistic (1916) provides the most influential account in language studies on how a language works at a given moment as a rule-governed system. He introduced the distinction between signifier and signified. Signifier is produced from the sounds used by a particular language which is arranged in a temporal order. While signified consists of the concept or meaning assigned to any organization of signifier. Thus, a sign is formed when signifier and signified are joined together (Stam, Burgoyne and Lewis, 1992: 6).

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cinematic discourse and at certain specified level of analysis. Among specifically cinematic codes, he has distinguished codes of editing and framing of lighting, of color verses black and white, of articulation of sound and movement, of composition and so on. While in non cinematic codes, he includes costume, gesture, dialog, characterization, and facial expression. All of these movie elements are the sign and codes which reveal the contextual meaning of the movie (Metz, 1990: 4).

Beside semiotic film theory, socio-cultural approach is needed in conducting this research since the main theme of the movie is about fashion. Fashion is one of American culture products in which it is considered as playing important role to define someone’s personality in the society through their images. Fashion has a close relationship with socio-culture approach since the approach mainly explores the way people act and develop based on their surroundings. It is stated that,

The socio-culture approach are the roles of different ethnic groups, gender and the culture, with all these elements combination, it forms a personality. Socio culture is based upon peoples beliefs and what they stand for. It is the actions that the society choose to do and to become who they are (http://socio-culture1.0.tripod.com/).

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As the research of the film is mainly focused on the correlation between women and fashion, feminism approach is applied since it provides many issues of women’s life particularly in American society.

Feminism has given many contributions to the life process of women. By the history women were considered as inferior rather than men. It has closely related to the distinction between men and women as different sex and gender. It is stated that the conflation between sex and gender is used not only to naturalize the differences between men and women but also to substantiate a moral judgement about “women’s proper place”. Hence, the difference between men and women is not mainly about biological distinction but also the roles in the society. The sociological insistence on a distinction between sex and gender is important for feminists and other researchers in political terms because it has signalled the possibility of social and political change.

Gender was developed as a sociological concept in order to emphasize that not only are traits and characteristics at psychological level socially shaped and produced, but also the social, economic and political inequalities that can be observed between women and men are an extension not of biological difference but of particular social relation and context (http://www.iub.edu/~gender/html/classes-spring-graduate.html).

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deviant and “troubled body”. It is often perceived as a spectacle or fantasy and fetishized within popular culture. In addition, Simone de Beauvoir observed that the female body is considered as an object that is looked into and examined. Thus, it is encouraged to be on show and women are obliged to produce their bodies as adequate and acceptable spectacle (http://www.iub.edu/~gender/html/classes-spring-graduate.html). In this case, fashion industry has supported the idea of women’s inferiority toward their body. Fashion, as a commercial industry, shapes female body as an object of spectacle by its products to bear the demands of American patriarchal socitey.

Since the research is focused on women and female body through fashion, feminism approach that provides many issues about the women’s problem is used as point of view. This point of view is the framework of the research in the context of women’s problem available in TDWP.

H. Thesis Organization

The thesis consists of four chapters and each chapter is divided into several subchapters. There are Chapter I Introduction, Chapter II Literature Review, Chapter III Analysis, and Chapter IV Conclusion and Recommendation.

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Study, Benefits of the Study, Method of the Study, Theoretical Approach and Thesis Organization.

The second chapter, Literature Review, discusses about working women and feminism in America, the correlation between fashion and female body, and some of the film theories and basic elements of cinematography.

The third chapter, Analysis, consists of two main subchapters. They are, the significance of the title: “ Who is the Devil wears Prada” and The Construction of Successful Career Women through Fashion Style. The second main subchapter is divided into three points: Andrea Sach and the Significance of Fashion Transformation, Miranda “The Dress for Success”, and The ambivalence of Gender Roles and Politic of Life Choice through the main characters, Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sach. This subchaper provides the answer of the research questions.

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CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

As mentioned in chapter I, this research is aimed to answer how the

construction of successful career women in the great influence of fashion industry

and how female body is exploited and objectified by fashion style. Some theories

are needed to answer those research questions. Thus, this chapter provides some

appropriate theories which are divided into four sub chapters. The first subchapter

is a Brief Skecth of Working Women and Feminism in America. It provides the

history of working women in America and the influence of feminism toward

working women in American’s society today. The second subchapter explains

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is film, the third and the fourth subchapter give some explanations on the semiotic

film theory and basic terminology in cinematography which appropriate to

support the research study

A. A Brief Sketch of Working Women and Feminism in America

The history of working women in America can be traced back from the

American experience. The Great Depression in 1930 had given big impact toward

American people. Mass unemployment was the common phenomenon and it

became the biggest problem. The family income declined, many of them lost their

job and become homeless. They should have strategies to survive in that kind of

condition. Not only men, women also went to work to support their family needs.

As Eshleman said that,

Many upper class women received an education and some works in the profession. Poor women who worked were usually employed as servants. The vast majority women, however were married and worked in the home to meet the needs of their families (Eshleman, Cushion and Basilico, 2007: 260).

In 1941, America went to war and the number of mass unemployment was

decreased. During the war many job fields required more employees, including

women. “Men were sent overseas, and women were told that it was now their

patriotic duty to help out in the war effort by going to work” (ibid: 261). It was

their opportunity to earn money in order to fulfill their family needs. They worked

in many sectors such as in factories and in some offices.

After World War II, there were many changes in American society, men

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the low birth rates during the depression and war period, the population should be

built. Thus began the “baby boom” program, that women should return home and

give birth to build up the population. In this period of time, the social status of

American people had been changed by the increase of their income. Most

American mothers also want to work outside their home. This phenomenon could

not be separated from their duty of taking care of the family. Betty Friedan with

her influential book at the time entitled “The Feminine Mystique” had

successfully brought married women entering labor force, having the right to have

their own properties and having the equal opportunity in working, childcare and

housework. Sarah M. Evans in her book “Born for Liberty, The History of

Women” has also stated that “The feminine mystique which defined women almost exclusively in terms of wife and mother, functioned smoothly both to

shape changes in women’s role and deny their disruptive power” (Evans, 1997:

246). The both position in family and society made the number of single mother,

unmarried couples, and women who became head of family increased.

As the community mobilized, the American people including women

began to think how to increase the family prosperity. They started to live and look

for a job in the cities because the growth of jobs was sifted from agricultural into

industrial sectors. By the development of modern technology and industry,

various work fields were opened including fashion industry. Women were more

attracted to work in fashion industry rather than men. Women had worked in

fashion world since the early twentieth century. They worked in garment industry

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machines. Nowadays, fashion has become a large industry in America and mostly

affect both men and women’s culture (Eshleman, Cushion and Basilico, 2007:

261-262).

The opportunity of getting a job for women can not be separated from the

history of women struggle in America to have the equal position in some ways. In

the beginning of America where most of American women did not get education

as male did. They used to experience different treatment from male. The different

treatments based on sexes are the effects of patriarchal system held by the society.

Male has larger chances to develop themselves in many sectors such as social and

economics, while women were given less opportunity to reach the better

condition. Although there were a little amount of women who had worked, they

seemed could not be as equal as men. Jaffe said that “Women have less authority

and less autonomy in their work than do men” (quoted in ibid: 263).

Feminism is the root of women struggle in America. Feminism is an

idealism and movement as the effect of women’s oppression in a male-centered

society/patriarchal society. It is the idea that women should have political, social,

sexual, intellectual and economic rights equal to men. It involves various

movements, theories, and philosophies, all concerned with issues of gender

differences, that advocate equality for women and that campaign for women’s

rights and interests. According to Maggie Humm and Rebeca Walker, the history

of feminism can be divided into three waves. The first wave was in the nineteenth

and early twentieth centuries, the second was in the 1960s and 1970s, and the

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(www.pbs.org/newshour/infocus/historycostumes/fashion_history.html).

The first wave was focused on the women’s political rights. The term first

wave was used after the term second-wave feminism began to be used to describe

a new feminist movement. Second wave feminism was more focused on social

fighting and cultural inequalities to be political equalities. Second-wave feminists

saw women's cultural and political inequalities were closely linked and

encouraged women to understand aspects of their personal life as political

equality and reflecting sexist power structures. Third-wave feminism began in the

early 1990s, it was the movement as a response to “perceived failures” of the

second wave and also as a response to the backlash against initiatives and

movements created by the second wave

(http://feminism.eserver.org/theory/feminist/Womens-Movement.html). With the emerge of feminism, the condition of American women gradually changed.

Nowadays, they have more opportunity to be equal with men in some areas such

as social and economics sectors, even some of them feel that feminism is no

longer needed because the goal of feminism has been reached. The group that

consider feminism is no longer relevant in today’s society is called postfeminist.

Post-feminism describes a range of viewpoints reacting to feminism. The

term was firstly used in the 1980s to describe a backlash against second-wave feminism. Post-feminists believe that women have achieved second wave goals,

although it is still being critical by third wave feminists. Lisa Yaszek in Alison

Pepmier examination of the postfeminism and third wave feminism differences

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one in which the goals of feminism have been achieved”. While Eliyce Helford

identifies postfeminism as “the belief that personal choice and bootstrap efforts

can bring women empowerment and equality, when the third wave says...We’ve

got a hell of a lot of work to do!...postfeminism says...Go buy some Manolo

Blahniks and stop your whining.” It means that third wave and postfeminism are

two different terms. Postfeminist tends to rely on competitive individualism and

“eschews” collective action. It obscures or makes invisible of women’s

oppression such as subjected of violence, and underprivileged both politically and

economically. On the other hand, the third wave more focuses on intersectional

identities and demands an end to all forms of oppression that keep women from

achieving their full humanity. In addition, Susan Faludi in her book “Backlash:

The Undeclared War Against American Women” (1991) argues that 1980s backlash against feminism has successfully re-defined feminism through its term.

According to her, this type of backlash is a historical trend, recurring when it

appears that women have made substantial gains in their efforts to obtain equal

rights ((http://www.charleston.edu/riposte_to_joyce/01.x.html).

Postfeminism seems to be the right terms to describe how American

women today look likes. Angela McRobbie argues that feminism has successfully

made everyone, including women in achieving equality. Postfeminism gives the

impression that equality has been achieved. Postfeminism can be clearly seen in

such media products such as women’s magazine and some movies. Ally McBeal,

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life choice ignoring the gender difference between male and female. Some of

them get very good position and facilities in their job. Today, many American

women work outside their house with their high education and can choose their

interests freely without any interfere. However, Diamond and Quinby in American

Feminsm in the Age of Body conclude that the control of patriarchal system is not

clear anymore and we can’t blame anyone of invisible oppression. Although

patriarchal value still exists in most American culture, now it seems melting with

the new concept of women today (Diamond and Quinby, 1984:119).

B. Fashion and Female Body

The term “fashion” usually applies to a prevailing mode of expression, but

quite often applies to a personal mode of expression that may or may not adhere

to prevailing ideals. Inherent in the term is the idea that the mode will change

more quickly than the culture as whole. The term “fashionable and unfashionable”

are employed to describe whether someone fits in with the current popular mode

of expression. The term “fashion” is frequently used in a positive sense, as a

synonym of glamour and style. In this sense, fashion is a short of communal art, in

which the culture examines its notion of beauty and goodness. On the other hand,

the term “fashion” is sometimes used in negative sense, as a synonym of fads,

trends and materialism.

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someone’s physical appearance in daily life or special events. It is also believed

that fashion show someone’s social status and personality. Fashion may vary

considerably within a society according to age, social class, generation,

occupation, sexual orientation, and geography as well as overtime.

In the beginning of 1950s, fashion has developed into trendsetters for both

women and men. Many actress and actors such Marilyn Monroe, Audrey

Hepburn, Elvis Presley, James Dean and Martin Brando set fashion trends with

their own style. It could be seen from their clothing and hairstyles. The strongest

fashion innovator of the 60s was the first Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. It was known

as the pop or nod decade. The simple style was accepted by women of all

economic levels. In 1966, a French designer, Yves Saint Laurent, introduced the

women’s tailored pantsuits but women were not allowed to wear them in some

restaurant. In 1969 women were offered some choice such mini, midi and maxi

size so fashion would be suit them. Women in the early 70s wore hot pants, a

collaboration of miniskirt and pantsuit.

The 1980 was a complicated fashion period because it was greatly

influenced by the media and stars. Teenagers sought to look exactly like their

idols. When the flash dance came out, tank tops, torn jeans and tight-fitting pants

took centre stage. The Adidas sport label was also popular in giving the sporty style for the fashion world. Manolo Blahnik, French shoe designer introduced his

fantastical high heels and majestic boots. Dona Karan, an American designer set

up her own label for casual look that dominated American ready-to-wear fashion.

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Prada became more popular in the fashion industry. The Milanese Company was first established in 1923 by Prada when it was only a firm that sold high quality

shoes and leather. In the development, Miuccia Prada, the niece of company’s

founder, began to produce ready to wear fashion that become popular brand in

America until now

During the late of twentieth century, fashion began to cross international

boundaries. Popular western styles were adopted all over the world. Many

designers from outside America had brought big impact on fashion. For fashion,

mass media has given great contribution to inform the trendsetter of certain period

of time. People are exposed much fashion information and advertisement from

any kind of media such as billboard advertising, fashion magazines, newspaper,

novel, music and movies. One of the most influential mass media in giving

contribution toward fashion development in America was fashion magazine.

Through fashion magazine, people could follow the trend of fashion and life style.

It brought an idea of culture, beauty, luxurious life style, and fashion trends. The

fashion photographs were set in every page of the magazine. Supermodels were in

beautiful make up and dress to promote the products or fashion. Fashion show

was also covered by fashion magazine and transfigured into detail article.

Appearance and performance became important things to a whole generation of

urban people. Some influential fashion magazines and newspaper in America such

as Vogue, New York Times, USA Today, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, etc play

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…What began as a small society magazine at the end of the 19th century became one of the most influential periodicals of the 20th century and a

driving force in fashion and

culture…(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/vogue_%28magazine%29).

Women are more attracted to fashion rather than man. This condition tends

to make women trapped in the great fashion industry that always surround them.

As fashion is closely associated with costume, it can not be separated from the

existing of the body. In this case, is female body.

As the patriarchal value influence in most society in the world, female

body have been controlled and restricted across civilization to conform to

prevailing aesthetic based on the value. Physical appearance within slender body

becomes the most important things for women regarding to the male gaze to

conform with the prevailing aesthetic. Slenderness is identified with refinement,

willpower, and chick, while success for dieting becomes an important form of

competition among women within a context where women were encouraged to

compete in physical appearance. Brownmiller (1993) in “Women and Body

Image” stated that,

“striving for physical perfection (a physical vulnerability that is reassuring to men) was a constant distraction for women, causing them to be self-conscious, and constantly self-monitor and [We are] never quite satisfied and never secure, for desperate unending absorption in the drive for a perfect appearance-call it feminine vanity-is the ultimate restriction on freedom of mine”(quoted in Grogan, 1999: 77).

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bodies as they really are. This would involve close examination of the terms which slenderness in women is associated with a specific (positive) set of cultural meaning,

In my work they have been extremely helpful both to my analysis of the contemporary disciplines of diet and exercise and to my understanding of eating disorders as arising out of and reproducing normative feminine practices in our culture, practices which train female body in docility and obedience to cultural demands while at the same time being experienced in terms of power and control (quoted in ibid: 78).

In contrast, Dorothy Smith saw women in an active role in interpreting cultural messages. She argued that women “do feminity” in an active way as a skilled activity. One of the sources to learn the skill of “being feminine” is women magazine especially fashion magazines because it provides many information that actively presented on how to be more attracted. By presenting the women with the perfect model body and telling what women need to do to attain the ideal (diet, exercise and cosmetics), magazine has created the women’s opinion of “being feminine”(ibid: 78-79).

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that requires women to be thin and blonde if she want to be called as beautiful.

Media, such magazines brings this myth to be changed time after time. In 1600s

until 1800s the myth of beautiful women is different from the myth of twentieth

beautiful women. Women were used to be fleshy, full figured, plump and make

their waist tiny or hourglass shaped to be called as beautiful as shown in the

paintings and photographs made at the time. While in the twentieth century,

women started to pay attention to their body and make up when slenderness and

make up became fashion covered by the media. They start to compete in physical

appearance, exercise in sport and dieting become popular activities of women to

fit with the ideal of beauty. The more extreme treatment like liposuction or

mesotheraphy is also used to shape the body so that it will look slimmer and more

toned without so much treatment. Those facts show that actually female body is

controlled by some invisible things that they couldn’t see as a part of culture and

controlled by style that affect them (Diamond and Quinby, 1984: 119-122).

Fashion, supermodels and celebrities are new subjects for women to

obsess over their body. As female’s bodies recede in spring fashions and

celebrities obsession, slender body is also claimed to be a barometer whether a

woman is at a healthy weight. Many diet producers always campaign that thin is

healthy and promote their products by using some popular artists to influence

women’s point of view toward healthy body. By getting a healthy body, women

will be campaigned more about getting pleasure and success in their life. They

believe that being beautiful and slim can bring them into pleasure and success.

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Rachel Zoe, Nicole Richie and Keira Knightley.

(a) (b)

(a) Keira Knigthley to star in The Beautiful and Damned represents the

image of “beautiful” woman taken from

http://images.google.co.id/imgres?imgurl=http://www.enjoyfrance.com/images/stories/w

orld/entertainment/Keira-Knightley-bikini-photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.enjoyfrance.com/content/view/1684/31/&usg=__2aA WuZLefqEaTmt1Qqf4kfM8F20=&h=400&w=300&sz=27&hl=id&start=9&tbnid=hz2g4 e_cGJPRkM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=93&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkeira%2Bknightley%26gb v%3D2%26hl%3Did%26sa%3DG.

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15

From the picture above, there is an idea that beautiful is mostly identified

with the slenderness, sometimes too skinny and the prominence of clavicles. It

influences many women to have the same ideal cultural message through media

representation of the ideal feminine perfection. Media, especially fashion

magazines and internet have successfully brought the idea of being true feminine.

They also have influenced many women to obsess over their products which

Gomery, semiotic film has sought to explain how meaning is embodied in a film

and how film is communicated to an audience. The audience can truly understand

the story by the hidden meaning in films:

….we must learn to read before we can attempt to enjoy or understand literature, but we tend to believe, mistakenly, that anyone can read a film. Anyone can see film, its true. But some people have learned to comprehend visual images-physiologically, ethnographically and psychologically with far more sophistication than have others (Monaco, 2000: 157).

The word “semiotics” or “semiology” is derived from the Greek “semeion”

means “sign”. It is the study of symbol, sign and signification. Ferdinand de

Saussure and Charles Sanders Peirce were the contemporary semiotics’ thinkers.

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A science that studies the life of signs within society is conceivable…I shall call it semiology (from the Greek semeion’ sign). Semiology would show what constitutes signs, what law governs them. Since the science does not yet exist, no one can say what it would be; but it has right to existence, a place staked out in advance (Saussure in Stam, Burgoyne, and Lewis, 1992: 4).

According to Saussure, semiology is the study of how meaning is created

not what it is. He argued that meaning derives from the system within which

particular utterances are articulated. Saussure distinguished language, parole, and

signifier as they are made up from the sounds that is used by particular language

and signified by the concept or meaning, then assigned to any organization of

signifiers. Signifier and signified comprises the linguistic sign (ibid: 8).

Peirce, in Stam, Burgoyne and Lewis “New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics”

has involved a triad of three entities in the process of semiotics. He considered

the sign as something which stands to somebody in some respect or capacity. The

object for which the sign stands is generated by the relation between sign and

object. Thus, the relation between sign and object can cause “mental effect” for

the interpretant. According to Stam, Burgoyne, and Lewis, Pierce also contributes

his tripartite classifications of the kinds of sign which are available to human

consciousness into icons, index and symbols. He has defined the iconic sign as a

sign which is determined by its dynamic object by virtue of its internal nature. It

represents its object by means of similarity or resemblance. He has interpreted

indexical sign as a sign which is determined by its dynamic object by virtue of

being a real to it. While a symbolic sign involves an entirely conventional link

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Furthermore, Christian Metz, a pioneer of film semiotic has a conclusion

that the cinema was not a language system but it was a language. In Monaco,

Metz has pointed out that we understand a film not because we have knowledge of

its system but we achieve an understanding of its system because we understand

the meaning of the film. In another way, we understand a film not because the

cinema is language but because it can tell such fine stories (Monaco, 2000: 157).

According to Monaco, film manages to communicate meaning. In film, there

are two different manners to communicate the meaning. They are denotatively and

connotatively meaning. Those meaning can be found in some parts of the film.

Denotatively meaning can be found in the form of written language such dialogue,

while to connotatively meaning exist in almost all part in the film if the

interpretant or audience understands the substantial meaning of the film. A film

image or sound also has a denotative meaning like written language but there is a

particular difference between a description in word (or even in photographs) of a

person or event, and cinematic record of the same (ibid: 161-162).

By borrowing a “trichotomy” from Peirce, Peter Wollen in Monaco

suggested that cinematic signs are of three orders.

1. The icon : it is a sign in which the signifiers represents the signified

mainly by its similarity, its likeness.

2. The index : it measures a quality not because it is identical to it but

because it has an inherent relationship to it.

3. The symbol is an arbitrary sign which the signifier has neither a

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through convention.

Besides sign revealed by Peirce and Petter Wollen, Monaco also has

included the codes and Mise-en-scene as some idioms of film theories. Codes

form the specific syntax of film by sharing the artistic codes in cinema with other

arts. While Mise-en-scene, a French term that means “placing on stage”, refers to

all the visual elements of the set, set dressing, costumes, make up, lighting and

even physical body posture that are arranged and placed by the camera lens (ibid:

175-183).

D. Basic Terminology in Cinematography

McAnany and William have stated that film is “a series of motionless

images projected onto screen so fast to create in the mind of anyone watching the

screen an impression of continuous motion, such image being projected by a light

shining through to a corresponding series of images arranged on continuous band

of flexible materials” (www.iprfinc.com/images/tecnique/cinema.html). Since a film is constructed of visual, audio, and linguistic components that are

manipulated in particular ways, it is necessary to understand the components

because the object of the study in this research is film. A film has its own

particular language as an audio-visual media.

The language of film can be analyzed by the technique and terminology in

film cinematography. In the movie there are many elements that give great

contribution to understand its language. Basic elements of film include title, plot,

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credits which establish a tone and it is often used to foreshadow events, themes or

metaphors. It becomes a starting point of audience interpretation toward the

content of film. Plot is the basic building blocks of the story, conveying specific

and sequence events through all the cinematic means. While characterization

consists of central characters and minor characters who represent values which

sometimes change during the film. They might be thinly or fully drawn.

Characterization is an important part of the movie as a reflection function toward

the society. Other part of characterization is character’s motivation , it is personal

motivation as a reason for character’s action. Point of view can be considered as

what the character sees that the audience also has the same point of view as the

characters. It comes from the screenplays which sometimes note that a show will

be seen from the point of view of particular character. In accordance with this

point of view, the term “subjective shot” indicates that the audience (camera) will

what see the character sees. Often it indicates a handheld camera shot that moves

in a walking or running motion while following the character. Beside the basic

elements which are important in analyzing the movie, themes (tropes), message (intent) and symbolism (metaphor) are also useful to reveal the meaning of the movie. They are established by the repetition of technical and linguistic means

throughout the film. Meaning is also considered alongside with the filmmakers

and audience interpretation

(http://homepages.wmich.edu/~lipkin/pathscinematography/index.htm).

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the lenses, etc. The shot is a large unit of meanings that consist of frame image,

lighting and diachronic shot. Frame image is specific readings which are produced

depend on the way to frame the subjects and objects. It can be used to show the

character’s power and position, face expression, and so on (Monaco, 2000:

183-184).

The lighting also plays an important role in every scene. It is the way

frames look, the pattern of light and dark in a scene by camera and film projector.

It is used to determine the mood of the movie. The example is dark lighting for

horror film to show the gloomy expression and the bright lighting that usually

used in comedy film. The two kinds of light in the frame image are key light and

fill light. Key light is the main light that differentiates into two. First, high key

lighting provides all or most light in the scene that is predominantly lighter than

medium gray (used in comedy, musical, lighthearted drama). Second is low key

lighting which provides less light or darker than medium gray (used in some

action, mystery, horror and serious drama). Fill light is an auxiliary light from the

subject light which is soften the shadows and illuminate areas which are not

covered by the key lightness of the total illumination (ibid: 208).

The shot is an important technique in analyzing the movie. Louis Giannetti

in his book “Understanding Movies” says that “shots are determined on the basis

of how much of the human figure is in view” (Giannetti, 1972: 6). It usually

covers the condition which is happened to the characters and their surroundings.

The diachronic shot is that camera shot in which cover all the film subjects and

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as basic categories shot in the cinema:

1.Close up/extreme close up (CU/ECU)

Close up/extreme close up shows a part of the objects or subjects. For example is

the character’s face. It shows the expression of the characters upon a certain scene

or the condition on it.

2. Medium close up (MCU)

It only shows a half of the character’s body. The character’s part is generally

taken from shoulders to head or from waist up or down.

3. Medium shot (MS)

Medium shot frames the character from the hips, waist, and knees up or knees

down. During the shot, the camera is sufficiently distanced from the body of the

character to show the relation between character and its surroundings.

4. Long shot (LS)

The shot is taken with camera placed in a distance to show the full body of the

character and the surrounding environment.

5. Extreme Long shot (ELS)

In this shot, the camera moves further away from the main subject or character

and shows it in a very far distance with the large environment surround it (ibid:

6-10).

Other kind of film elements which is also related with the camera

movement is called angle or camera angle. Angle refers to how far and how high,

and the way to place the camera in relation to the subject. There are three kinds of

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· Normal angle or usually called eye-level angle is the angle technique that places the camera in the same position which shows the equal authority

and status of objects or subjects.

· Low angle is the camera angle technique that places camera below the eye level, usually around the chin or chest or even slightly lower. This

angle shows the obvious “high” position of objects or subjects compared

to the opposite character (when the scene shows a dialogue between one or

more characters). The word “high” is not only mean real position but also

the objects or subjects authority and status.

· High angle is the camera angle technique that places camera above the subject or character’s eye level. It shows the lower position and authority

of the objects or subjects (ibid: 11-13).

Since film is constructed of visual, audio, and linguistic components,

sounds play important role in defining the language of film. Sound can come from

character’s dialogue and sound effects created by filmmakers. According to

Monaco (2000) sound is used to underscore emotions, to alert the audience to an

upcoming event, as an ironic counterpoint, etc. Sounds, including the use of

silences create a rich aural image as the same way that mise-en scene, diachronic

shot and montage create visual images. Sounds in the movie can be divided into

three parts to create the image and manipulate the theme.

· Dialogue from the characters can create an aural image when the dialogue of the characters is overlapping, mumbled, very soft or loud.

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ringing) and the manipulation of the sound (stereo effects which move

sounds across the sound spectrum, or balance sounds on one side or the

other, filtering and manipulating sound) help the audience to give film

interpretation.

· Score is the background music throughout the film. It often maintains and manipulates a similar theme at various times.

The term “montage“ was used in Europe for editing or cutting. Editing

(“cuts”) within scene in the film is important in creating continuities,

discontinuities, juxtaposition, and narrative structure. Montage consists of shots,

syntagma, scenes and sequences. Shot is standard device used during dialogue

between or among characters, then move back which is combined by camera

angle, shot distance, and pace to establish point of view. The editing of shot is

needed to make easier to understand the condition and atmosphere in the movie

without overlapping frames (op.cit: 216).

Metz in Monaco has divided syntagma into three kinds. First, parallel

syntagma, it is the well-known phenomenon of parallel editing. It offers two

sequences that do not have a narrative connection. Second, bracket syntagma, it is

a series of very brief scenes representing occurrences that the film gives as typical

example of a same order or reality, without in anyway chronologically locating

them in relation to each other. The third is alternative syntagma that actually the

same as parallel syntagma but it offers more on alternating elements, for example a

shot inserted in a scene to show action happening elsewhere (Monaco, 2000:

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The scene is the transition of the film picture or image. In the end of the

scene is usually marked by a number of possible devices including, fade out and

fade in which often implies significance of preceding scene. Fade out consists of a

two or three second transition from a picture to black and silence while fade in is

the opposite transition. Both may include a quick cut or a fade to black. The

function of the scene transition is to lead the audience into different setting or

atmosphere. In the scene part, we also often see a line moves across the screen that

is called “wipe”, it is usually used in old film. Scene is a transition from one to

another frame image. Sequence is a continuity of the scene so that the story of the

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