Vanity Veritas

Beauty is always political, but when women enter the political arena, physical appearance takes on a whole new dimension. From the women’s suffrage movement to bra burning to republican makeup and tradwives, we’ll explore the ways beauty and the performance of femininity have been weaponized, scrutinized, and emphasized in the world of politics. Strap on your god damn bicycle waist, it’s gonna be...

Elsa “Schiap” Schiaparelli was the enfant terrible of the 1930s Paris couture scene. Still, after World War II, she fell into relative obscurity, only to have her name and legacy revived nearly a century later. Who was this singular artist? Why did she fall off the map, and what can it tell us about the politics of women’s fashion? We look to her 1954 memoir, Shocking Life, for answers. Spoiler al...

Say Yes to the Mess: A Vanity Veritas Wedding Extravaganza In our Season 2 kickoff, we take a tour through the strange and diabolical history of weddings in the western world. From staged kidnappings to influencers to disposable dresses to drinking out of chamberpots, we’ll examine the surprising origins of some of our most beloved matrimonial traditions. It’s the most important day of your life,...

A chatty introduction to hosts Chelsea Feltman, Kristina Cole Geddes, and Elizabeth Urbanczyk answering the serious questions. We talk meet cutes, eyebrow angst, the case for red lipstick, and a sneak peak into season two!    To keep up to date on all things Vanity Veritas follow us on social media @VanityVeritasPod

Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see us? In this episode, we discuss another of history’s It Girls, Mae West. Beyond her larger-than-life persona, West was a trailblazer in the entertainment industry who deftly straddled the line between sexy and tawdry. We’ll examine her life and impact on popular representations of femininity and sexuality   CW for conversations about fatphob...

Nearly 50 years after her death, Maria Callas remains one of the most iconic opera singers of all time, not just for her voice, but for her striking image. But who was she underneath that impossibly chic facade? In this episode, we examine opera’s most famous It Girl and attempt to unravel myths, misconceptions, and tiresome tropes about suffering artists, jilted women, and temperamental divas.  ...

Before there was heroin chic, there was consumptive chic. How did an objectively horrifying bacterial infection become the height of fashion and a marker of moral superiority, and why does it continue to matter today? In this episode, we discuss the surprising history of TB and its unfortunate, indelible effect on Western beauty standards.   CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains graphic conversat...

Breasts. Bosoms. Boobies. If you don’t have them, you probably know someone who does. In this episode, we attempt to free the proverbial nipple by examining how cultural attitudes toward ta tas have evolved over the past half-millennium.   CONTENT WARNING:  This episode contains graphic conversations regarding surgery, as well as discussions on body dysmorphia, misogyny, and fat phobia.    All ima...

Color season analysis has gone from a cringe 80s relic to a TikTok phenomenon seemingly out of nowhere. Where did it come from and why is it back with a vengeance? Is color theory really science? Do we have colorisma? In this episode, we dive into the history of this recently revived practice and discuss why it has us in a chokehold.   CONTENT WARNING:  46:30- Body dysmorphia/Kibbe Body Types/Weig...

Give the lady what she wants! In our inaugural episode, we dive into a fascinating chapter of retail history. How did department stores come to be, and how did women shop before their inception? How have these mega meccas of commerce forever changed the ways we consume, socialize, and define ourselves? Are we all just living in the world that Harry Selfridge created???   CONTENT WARNING:  Sizing,...

A sneak peak at Vanity Veritas, the show where three vain friends dive into the history of beauty, fashion, and culture trying to figure out how we got here and why we care so damn much. Each episode will present a topic related to historical fads, fashion icons, and beauty standards in an attempt to connect the past with the present. Always asking: does anything ever really change?     Hosted by...