Dressed: The History of Fashion

In this series, we are celebrating the prolific life and career of the avant-garde French designer Paul Poiret, who is the subject of a new retropsective exhibition Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Known as "The King of Fashion," Poiret was an incomparable force of personality, vision, and industry, who was instrumental in not just revolutionizing women’s...

In this series, we are celebrating the prolific life and career of the avant-garde French designer Paul Poiret, who is the subject of a new retropsective exhibition Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Known as "The King of Fashion," Poiret was an incomparable force of personality, vision, and industry, who was instrumental in not just revolutionizing women’s...

In this minisode, we break down the itinerary of upcoming, ultra-exclusive day tours of New York City during which we will step back in time and into the beating heart of American fashion and costume history during the holiday season. Our day tours are offered as mix-and-match separates with unique itineraries for each day as we visit fashion exhibitions, go behind-the-seams in museum collections...

In this two-part episode, we celebrate the avant-garde French designer Paul Poiret, who is the subject of a new retropsective exhibition Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Known as "The King of Fashion," Poiret was an incomparable force of personality, vision, and industry, who was instrumental in not just revolutionizing women’s fashion at the dawn of the t...

Today, we continue our exploration of the century long love affair between fashion and the showgirl. Recommended reading and viewing: Es-pranza Humphrey's article “Fashioning the Black Chorus Girl" Elspeth Brown's Work! A Queer History of Modeling Marcel Sauvage's Les Mémoires de Joséphine Baker, Baker's 1931 Casino de Paris performance Robin Givhan's The Battle of Versaiiles: The Night American F...

With her towering headwear and sparkling body suit, the showgirl is an instantly recognizable, cross cultural pop icon--and one that is front and center currently with the debut of Taylor Swift's latest album The Life of a Showgirl. In this two-part episode from 2020, we explore the showgirl's lesser known relationship to fashion, a love affair that extends back over one hundred years. Recommended...

We revisit one of our popular 'etiquette in history' episodes today and examine the complex social codes of party throwing and going in Gilded Age New York. Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠classes⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our ⁠⁠⁠⁠bookshelf⁠⁠⁠⁠ with over 150 of our favorite fashion history titles Dressed is a part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠AirWave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠ network Learn m...

It's Freud x fashion this week as Dr. Valerie Steele joins us to speak about her exhibition Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis which is currently on view at The Museum at FIT through January 4, 2026. The exhibition--which is the first of its kind--explores "key psychoanalytic concepts about the body, sexuality, and the unconscious," by way of 100 items of dress spanning more tha...

In the wonderful and often bizarre world of fashion fads from history, we ask the question: which should live on to wear another day and which should be left to history? Recommended resources:•  Bedazzled Beetles•  Hobble Skirt•  Painted knees Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our ⁠website⁠ and ⁠classes⁠ Our ⁠Instagram⁠ Our ⁠bookshelf⁠ with over 150 of our favorite fashion history titles...

This week, we investigate the historical fashion trends written about in an 1884 Harper’s Bazar article entitled “The Follies of Fashion.” Covering everything from Ancient Roman curling irons to Cleopatra’s donkey milk baths to “barbarous” steel corsets, we decipher fashion fact from fashion fiction. Primary Sources Box for rouge and patches, 1750-55 Jean de la Bruyère’s translation of The Charact...

From the most toxic makeup in history to the world's first sunglasses, in this 2023 episode, we discuss all things fashion and Guinness World Records with Senior Editor Ben Hollingum. Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our ⁠website⁠ and ⁠classes⁠ Our ⁠Instagram⁠ Our ⁠bookshelf⁠ with over 150 of our favorite fashion history titles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...

From clothes curtains to computer microchips to calico doll dresses, in the latest edition of Fashion History Now, we explore the fascinating--and surprising-- stories quite literally woven into the clothes we wear and the technology we use. Other things we love in this episode: Catherine Martin X Upcycled by Miu Miu. Check out Catherine's directorial debut fashion film here. Sarah Espeute's incre...

Emilie Flöge may best be remembered as the long-time companion of artist Gustav Klimt, but in this week's Dressed Classic episode from 2022, we explore her work as a fashion designer and dress reformer in early 20th century Vienna. Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠classes⁠⁠⁠ Our ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Our ⁠⁠⁠bookshelf⁠⁠⁠ with over 150 of our favorite fashion history ti...

For years, you have heard us singing the praises of today's guest! Haute couture embroiderer, textile expert, and our dear friend Rebecca Devaney joins us to talk about her many contributions to our annual fashion history tours of Paris, which features behind the seams experiences of Paris's most treasured ateliers including UltraMod, Acaba, Annie Bouquet, Au Ver à Soie, and Atelier Caraco. Want m...

The palace of Versailles during the 18th century was one of the most extravagant locales in the world. This week we break down some of the basics of fashion and etiquette at the French court. Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our website and classes Our Instagram Our bookshelf with over 150 of our favorite fashion history titles Dressed is a part of the AirWave Media network Learn more a...

A spectacular summer in Paris for fashion lovers, in part I of this two-part episode, we walk you through some of the fashion exhibitions we visited this year on our 7 day fashion history tours of the City of Lights. You still have time through the end of 2025 to catch the shows at the Palais Galliera and the Musée des arts décoratifs! Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠...

In part two of our 2022 conversation with Justine Picardie, we learn about Catherine Dior's courageous resistance efforts during WWII and the continuance of her legacy at the House of Dior to this very day. Recommended reading: Justine Picardie's Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture  Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our website and classes Our Instagram Our bookshelf with over 150...

International best selling author Justine Picardie joined us in this 2022, two-part episode to discuss the life and legacy of Christian Dior's beloved sister Catherine, a WWII French resistance fighter, concentration camp survivor, and inspiration behind Dior's most famous scent Miss Dior. Recommended reading: Justine Picardie's Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture Want more Dressed: The Hist...

This week we revisit a 2020 Fashion History Mystery where we answer a listener query about the origin of women's shorts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fashion history and true crime come together in this 2022 episode where we explore a scandal of the 1860s involving a British cosmetics maven who bilked her clients out of fortunes with the promise to halt the aging process and make them beautful forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we revisit two past Fashion History Mystery minisodes from the Dressed archive where we explored the fascinating origin stories of polka dots and artificial silk!  Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our website and classes Our Instagram Our bookshelf with over 150 of our favorite fashion history titles Dressed is a part of the AirWave Media network Learn more about your a...

We return to a 2019 interview with Clarissa Esguerra, Curator of Textiles and Costume at Los Angeles County Museum of Art  (LACMA), who taught us all about the sophisticated resist-dying ikat technique responsible for the resplendent textiles and garments on display in the LACMA exhibition Power of Pattern: Central Asian Ikats. Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our website and classes Ou...

In part-two of our 2022 exploration of the career of American fashion designer Claire McCardell, we discuss her work during WWII which yielded some of her most iconic designs. For additional reading, check out Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson's recently released biography Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free (2025). Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our website and classes Our Ins...

Called the "designer's designer," Claire McCardell turned the American fashion industry on its head starting in the 1930s with her fresh modern take on sportswear. This week we examine her career and legacy in a two-part episode from 2022. For additional reading, check out Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson's recently released biography Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free (2025) Want more Dr...

Fifth generation Diné (Navajo) weavers Lynda Teller Pete and Barbara Teller Ornelas have been instrumental in rewriting the history and narrative surrounding Navajo weaving, a realm that for too long has been dominated by non-Navajo voices. This is exemplified by their two groundbreaking books Spider Woman’s Children: Navajo Weavers Today and How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider...