Freeing the Body: The Birth of Modern Dress

It's World Pride month and all things rainbow! This 2019 minisode discusses the origin of the multicolored pride flag emblazoned upon innumerable garments to be worn this month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

From Sappho to Stonewall-and-beyond, in this 2024 episode we explore the more than 2,600 years of lesbian fashion history as Eleanor Medhurst joins us to discuss her recently released book Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone ...  Show more

Underwear! Whether we're talking boxers, briefs, loincloths, brassieres or even lingerie, undergarments have a storied history in cultures across the planet. It's a tale touching on everything from shifting attitudes about morality to scientific innovations, fashion and more. ...

We're revisiting an episode from 2014 about makeup, which has a rich and lengthy history that spans the globe and crosses cultures. From 10,000 B.C.E. to the 20th century, people have been using cosmetics to enhance their looks -- sometimes with unintended side effects. Learn mor ...  Show more

How many pieces of clothing did the average Tudor own? Did women in the 16th century have specialised maternity wear? And what was behind the fascination with codpieces? Jane Malcolm-Davies stitches together our understanding of what the Tudors wore, from knitted hats and linen h ...  Show more

Throughout history one thing has had more impact on women’s lives than almost anything else - giving birth to children. In this episode we will explore various aspects of this paramount and awe-inspiring process and how it has changed across cultures and through time. From how we ...  Show more