Vad vore en romcom utan sin klänning? En semiotisk analys av klänningens roll i film under 90-och 00-talet
(2026) MODK63 20261Division of Fashion Studies
- Abstract
- This bachelor’s thesis investigates the role of the dress in three different romcom movies from the 1990s and 2000s. The chosen dresses for this analysis are the colorful mini-dress from 13 going on 30 (2004), the yellow gown from How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days (2003) and the purple-blue ballgown from 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). This thesis uses a semiotic analysis by Roland Barthes to study the denotation and connotation of the dresses and then further on applies it to how the dresses play a role for the different character's development and status in the movies. Moreover, this is connected to the representation of the male gaze, a theory by Laura Mulvey, in relation with the dresses. Furthermore, the theory of cultural and social... (More)
- This bachelor’s thesis investigates the role of the dress in three different romcom movies from the 1990s and 2000s. The chosen dresses for this analysis are the colorful mini-dress from 13 going on 30 (2004), the yellow gown from How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days (2003) and the purple-blue ballgown from 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). This thesis uses a semiotic analysis by Roland Barthes to study the denotation and connotation of the dresses and then further on applies it to how the dresses play a role for the different character's development and status in the movies. Moreover, this is connected to the representation of the male gaze, a theory by Laura Mulvey, in relation with the dresses. Furthermore, the theory of cultural and social capital by Pierre Bourdieu is used to analyse the character's status. Based on the current state of research, there is a lack in how the dresses have been studied in especially romcom movies during this time period, in relation to the meaning they bring to the characters and the storylines of the movies. The result of the analysis communicates the meaning and importance behind the dresses in these romcom movies. Further on, it explains how the dresses affect the female characters in various ways, shows how the male gaze is connected to them and how they symbolise different forms of status. In conclusion, the results of the analysis indicate how the chosen dresses have played an important role in shaping both the films and their characters. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9244764
- author
- Ekecrantz, Gabrielle LU and Månsson, Ida LU
- supervisor
-
- Anni Reponen LU
- organization
- course
- MODK63 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Keywords: Dresses, romcom movies, 90s and 00s, semiotic analysis, the male gaze, Social and cultural capital. Nyckelord: Klänningar, romcom-filmer, 90- och 00-tal, semiotisk analys, den manliga blicken, socialt och kulturellt kapital.
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9244764
- date added to LUP
- 2026-07-06 09:16:19
- date last changed
- 2026-07-06 09:16:19
@misc{9244764,
abstract = {{This bachelor’s thesis investigates the role of the dress in three different romcom movies from the 1990s and 2000s. The chosen dresses for this analysis are the colorful mini-dress from 13 going on 30 (2004), the yellow gown from How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days (2003) and the purple-blue ballgown from 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). This thesis uses a semiotic analysis by Roland Barthes to study the denotation and connotation of the dresses and then further on applies it to how the dresses play a role for the different character's development and status in the movies. Moreover, this is connected to the representation of the male gaze, a theory by Laura Mulvey, in relation with the dresses. Furthermore, the theory of cultural and social capital by Pierre Bourdieu is used to analyse the character's status. Based on the current state of research, there is a lack in how the dresses have been studied in especially romcom movies during this time period, in relation to the meaning they bring to the characters and the storylines of the movies. The result of the analysis communicates the meaning and importance behind the dresses in these romcom movies. Further on, it explains how the dresses affect the female characters in various ways, shows how the male gaze is connected to them and how they symbolise different forms of status. In conclusion, the results of the analysis indicate how the chosen dresses have played an important role in shaping both the films and their characters.}},
author = {{Ekecrantz, Gabrielle and Månsson, Ida}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Vad vore en romcom utan sin klänning? En semiotisk analys av klänningens roll i film under 90-och 00-talet}},
year = {{2026}},
}