Abstract

FLUGEL, John Carl. On the affective value of clothes. Psyche (Sao Paulo) [online]. 2008, vol.12, n.22, pp. 13-26. ISSN 1415-1138.

In this article, psychoanalyst John Carl Flügel analyses fashion phenomenon, and the psychic consequences of the intimate relation men establish with clothes. In his opinion, such relation goes beyond the common function of clothes such as protection, decoration and decorum. Wearing clothes covers nudity, protects against the sense of shame, and produces a “second skin” to the body. The psychic effects of fashion market over individuals are also examined from the point of view of superego and ideal ego.

Keywords : Fashion; Psychoanalysis; Body; Clothes; Libido.