Originally published in 1953, this 1987 reprint of Edmond Bergler's work indicates a renewed interest in his theory and unique analytic style. Both are well demonstrated in this volume. The former speaks to the narcissistic personality disorders and their link to masochism, the latter anticipates the active and qi directive approach of Davenloo and Sifneos.
Taking issue with the anthropological viewpoint of fashion motivated by modesty, protection, and decoration, Bergler emphasized the unconscious in his thesis: "Clothes are a masculine invention, secondarily thrust upon women, and serve to protect men from their unconscious fear of the female body." "Conspicuous tastelessness in dress is mostly an unconscious pseudoaggressive and defensive attack on the enshrined mother image." He proceeded to show how clothes may be used as defenses against and elaborations of the universal neurotic conflict of masochism.
Bergler saw the preoedipal development of masochism and defenses against it to preserve and