Book excerpt: Why do we dress the way we do? How has fashion changed and evolved over the centuries? How did the 3-piece suit come about? Why have hemlines risen and fallen over time? In The Anatomy of Fashion, respected fashion commentator Colin McDowell goes beyond standard fashion histories and narrative surveys to answer these questions and many more. The book's unique structure takes the reader from head to toe in sections such as `The Body Unclothed,? `Materials and Texture,? `Head to Waist,? `Hips to Feet,? `Looks and Themes in Dress,? and more. Visually rich, with over 500 photographs, illustrations, paintings, and film stills, the book includes work by designers and labels such as Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Versace, Carhartt, Diesel and more. The book's dynamic structure and layout are equally suited for browsing and for serious reference, but The Anatomy of Fashion is not simply a picture book. It is a sourcebook by one of the world's leading fashion scholars that seeks nothing less than a thorough analysis of the roots of every aspect of fashion today.