愛爾蘭的階級意識在其多方面的文化探討中可略知一二，在十九世紀末、二十世紀初，其階級意識更突顯於時尚領域中。此論文欲探討時尚在喬伊斯之《都柏林》中所呈現的特色、起因、與影響，並且假設都柏林人崇尚當代時尚，並採納各種時尚藉以達成階級同化的理想，進而達成階級晉升的最終目標。
都柏林人在困頓的生活中求生存，希望藉由採納當代時尚而達成階級晉升的目標。第一章分析時尚的特色在於其短暫性與虛假性，時尚促使人們惡性地追求時尚，然而時尚日新月異，一旦人們自認為已採用了某一種正在流行的時尚，他們會發現另一種更新、更流行的時尚以然產生，於似乎，時尚變成一種不斷「求新棄舊」的活動。此外，時尚對上層階級而言僅是娛樂層級，但是對於身處下層的都柏林人而言，卻誤用時尚，使其成為階級晉升的生存工具，他們希望追求時尚的行為能使他們擺脫貧困。第二章，以「車賽之後」探討道爾家族(the Doyles)追求歐洲時尚的決心，希冀追求上層階級的流行文化，晉升至上流階級，並藉此靠近歐洲權力核心。第三章檢視都柏林人對於歌劇時尚所帶來的錯誤迷思，歌劇中王子與公主的快樂結合，使都柏林男、女誤以為婚姻的結合能保障未來的經濟生活，誤認為婚姻能帶來財富，進而完成階級晉升的可能性。從喬伊斯的觀點來看，時尚是不可靠的，而都柏林人卻無法跳脫時尚所帶來的幻象與幻滅，事實上，在故事所發生的時代背景中，資本主義與功利主義盛行於社會經濟中，經濟活動與資源其實掌控在權勢階級中，而所謂的時尚，就其經濟層面而言，亦由權勢階級所操控，下層階級的都柏林人無法理解時尚的複雜性，因此希冀時尚帶來階級晉升亦為不可能實現的夢想。

The awareness of class distinction in Ireland has been reflected in various facets of its culture. During the 19th century and the 20th century one area in which the awareness comes into being is the realm of fashion. This thesis seeks to study the characteristics, causes and influences of fashion in the Irish society, as represented in James Joyce’s Dubliners. I assume that Dubliners are greatly aware of their contemporary fashions and they try to adopt many fashions for the purpose of class assimilation and furthermore, achieve the ultimate goal of class aspiring.
Besieged with poverty, Dubliners blindly integrate themselves into the leading fashions to achieve class aspiring. In the first chapter, I figure out the reasons why Dubliners cannot achieve class aspiring through the adoption of fashions. The truth is that fashion is transient and unreal. Once they adapted themselves to some fashion, they find that they are in the vicious pursuit of abandoning the old fashion and catching up the latest one. Moreover, most fashions are created by the high class for leisure. Ironically, the low-class Dubliners deem fashions as lifesaving tools to keep them safe from poverty. In the second chapter, therefore, I use “After the Race” as a fashion show to illustrate the Doyle family’s unsuccessful class aspiring. In the story, Sgouin, the wealthy European dandy, takes the car race as a fun and common social activity; while Jimmy Doyle, the Irish dreamer, takes it as a serious business event. At the end of the story, the Doyle family does not achieve class aspiring through the adoption of European fashions. They are only exploited by the Europeans in times of capitalism and utilitarianism. On the other hand, some fashions are not real and are only reasonable in fictions. Therefore, in the third chapter, I suppose that men and women are greatly under the influence of one of the most fashionable forms of music—opera. I believe different operatic fashions provide men and women with different ideas toward courtship and marriage. Moreover, men and women use marriage as a way to achieve class aspiring. They hope that their spouses will provide them with more money in their future lives. Many Dubliners believe these false operatic fashions and they become heart breakers when they wake up in the realities.
From Joyce’s point of view, it is sorrowful that Dubliners cannot escape from the dilemma between fashion illusions and fashion disillusions. In fact, the times were just difficult for them because the whole nation was infected with capitalism and utilitarianism. The economic resources in fact were strictly restricted to the rich and manipulated by the privileged. The manipulation of fashion is so complicated a matter that it is beyond their comprehension. Therefore, Joyce provides us with his criticism and regret towards his Irish fellow countrymen. All we can see are people who in a sudden receive their epiphanies in the most painful situations.

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