One thing Steven Millhauser is good at is taking the ordinary in our lives and spinning it on its head. “A Change in Fashion” takes the natural changes that happen in fashion. Women start dressing in more and more layers and covering up more. “It was as if, after half a century of reckless exposure, a weariness had overcome women, a yearning for withdrawal, a disenchantment with the obligation to invite a bold male gaze. In every skirt fold and blouse button, one could sense the new longing for hiddenness.” (171). Part of this story hits home as how women’s fashion almost always keeps the male gaze in mind. Even with more and more layers being added on, there is still a feeling of sexualization. Instead of sexualizing what is shown, it is the sexualization of what is hidden away.
A new hidden designer named Hyperion comes in and opens the door by being the first to make women completely hidden. This kicks off with other designers, hiding women more and more. Dresses get larger, more abstract. It gets to the point where the dresses become large enough that women can slip out of them unnoticed until someone checks. Eventually, they become more like pieces of art, and Hyperion is revealed to be just a random man who did not know anything about fashion. Upon googling Hyperion, you see he was the Titan of light. The idea of someone using a god-like name to usher in a new light of fashion.
Another theme of the story seems to be the human desire for new things and what better way to explore that than through fashion. Fashion is constantly changing throughout time and some styles come back. Even some of Hyperion’s fashions have elements of Victorian and Edwardian fashion elements in them. “Meanwhile the new dresses grew a little shorter, a little longer; slacks and blouses grew tighter, looser.”(178). Millhauser examines the changes in fashion with a fantastical element. Fashion trends frequently make returns and no matter how ridiculous they may get, elements of them may begin returning years down the line.