Induction Brief, Essay??!!??

Today I had a tutorial with my tutor. I was very confused regarding my essay after the seminar last week and had a block regarding one sentence that was discussed during the Seminar. We had to write down what our major project theme was, we then had to consider for our essay, 'how we would contextualise this with theory'. This had me stumped for about two hours and after the tutor tried to explain and define what this means for about the fifth time, I felt confused and lost and starting to doubt my initial thought as to where I would like to go with my essay. I decided to gain some prospective from friends on 'Facebook' and ask around to see if they could shed some light on my confusion.

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' How will you contextualise your major project proposal with theory???'
WHAT??????
Can anyone enlighten me????
My brain was about to give up on me yesterday after my seminar!!!!
HEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!

• Richard O'Reilly contextualise = put into context, like frame of reference. theory is one of the approaches u may take to explain ur research into whatever it is, conceptual, theoretical, empirical and normative usual
• Sarah Oakley Hodges I was told that contextualise referred to looking at the past and what has already taken place, whilst theory refers to how you will broaden your knowledge. is that the opposite of what You say Richard or the same, i'm confused! bloody academics! why use three small words when one large and complicated one will do more harm!
• Richard O'Reilly ye thats about right Sarah, depending on the subject area contextualise could easily mean looking at the past, i think uve got it sussed dnt get hung up about it, lotsd of long stupid words to mean something quite simple lol
• Andrew Anderson It basically means you have to quote and reference theorists who have looked at this area before. You then put your ideas against theirs

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I also decided to speak to my tutor during my tutorial. I now have perspective on my essay choice and confidence that what I want to do is an acceptable way to go and will cover the briefs requirements, that it will just be up to me to carry out the essay writing to show a level six Degree students work effectively.

For my essay, I have decided to look into the rituals of dressing up, after an article I read in a book I bought at the V&A regarding the Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950. The piece was entitled 'The rituals of dressing up'. I want to research why we dress up, I want to look into the dress codes for occasions and how these dress codes have changed over the years. What do we dress-up for in modern terms? Is it only Weddings or do we in fact dress up for many different events it’s only the codes that have changed?

I want to start by looking into both royalty and their dress codes, history and the dress codes but also the changes that have been made through history, including the LBD (the little black dress) and how the liberation of women has changed the way we dress for that very special day in our lives.