Military uniforms are an important influence on modern women’s fashions. The appeal of the
uniform is multifaceted. Uniforms, especially military styles, symbolize authority, while also carrying an erotic edge. Uniforms can also function psychologically to maintain a sense of order and protection against the vulnerability of the naked body and the uncertainty of life. This particular ensemble by Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garçons, an avant-garde Japanese label, references the classic American infantry uniform in army green wool. It thus assimilates the wearer to an imagined community of brave young men. Other uniform-inspired fashions in this exhibition reference another iconic garment associated with World War I–the trench coat–which has acquired additional glamorous associations via movies like Casablanca. Some designers also allude to a status hierarchy by drawing on stylistic details associated with decorative, high-prestige officers’ uniforms.