Womanica

Pam Grier (1949 - present) is a Black American actress who has appeared in dozens of films and TV shows. She became a widely known actress in the early 1970s when she starred in a string of blaxploitation films. She is considered the Queen of Blaxploitation. Her characters are iconic for the way they blend beauty, sexuality, and action.  For further reading: Pam Grier: Boundary Breaker and Blaxplo...

Isabella d'Este (1474-1539) was an Italian patron and fashion icon who nurtured some of the Renaissance's finest artists – and pieces of art. This month, we're talking about Trendsetters: Women whose vision, style and willingness to break barriers changed culture — from what we wear to how we behave. History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn...

This special bonus episode is brought to you by Nike. Heidi O'Neill is Nike's President of Consumer, Product & Brand. In more than two decades at Nike, Heidi has been a key driver of the business in many roles, including as the instigator of Nike’s women’s apparel division. This month, we're talking about Trendsetters: Women whose vision, style and willingness to break barriers changed culture...

Eleanor Lambert (1903-2003) was a fashion publicist who increased the international prominence of the American fashion industry. Known as the “godmother of fashion,” she was the founder of New York Fashion Week and the Met Gala. For Further Reading:  Eleanor Lambert, Empress of Fashion, Dies at 100 Eleanor Lambert: the Fashion Force Behind the CFDA The Lady, the List, the Legacy This month, we're...

The designs of Dolores Gonzales (1907 - 1994) became a fashion craze throughout the 1950s and were even worn by two First Ladies. Dolores was dubbed “The Dior of the Desert” by the LA Times and her work helped define Tucson as a fashion city. Her claim to fame is popularizing the squaw dress – also known as the patio dress or fiesta dress – which incorporated techniques and details from Native Ame...

Helen Gurley Brown (c.1922-2012) helped shape a new vision of working girls. As editor and chief of Cosmopolitan magazine and author of the international bestseller “Sex and the Single Girl,” she advocated (sometimes controversially) for women’s sexual freedom and autonomy. For Further Reading: Helen Gurley Brown Helen Gurley Brown, Who Gave ‘Single Girl’ a Life in Full, Dies at 90 Collards and Ca...

Donna Summer (1948 - 2012) was a musician who provided the soundtrack for America’s disco era. Her breathy voice and sensual music gave her the title of the queen of disco, but Donna wasn’t a one-genre diva – she cranked out hits in rock, R&B, hip hop, and gospel over the span of a four decade career.  For Further Reading: Donna Summer, Queen of Disco Who Transcended the Era, Dies at 63.   The...

Hanae Mori (c. 1926-2022), known in the fashion world as “Madame Butterfly,” broke barriers between East and West. She was the first Japanese designer to show a collection in New York City — and the first to officially become a part of the “haute couture” world. She helped paved the way for the many Japanese fashion houses and designers that have since achieved global acclaim.  Further Reading: Ha...

Colleen Moore (1899 - 1988) was Hollywood’s original flapper. Throughout the Roaring Twenties, she popularized the bob-style haircut through dozens of silent films. She also helped design The Colleen Moore Dollhouse, which has been housed at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry since the early 1950s. For further reading: Colleen Moore, Star of 'Flapper' Films, Dies at 85 Inside the $7m fairy c...

Dr. Ruth Westheimer (1928 - present) has helped her listeners, viewers, and readers have more fulfilling sex for over four decades. Her disarming and relatable demeanor has endeared her to generations of Americans and has made comprehensive sex education more widely available.  For Further Reading: Speaking, Not Sexually, With Dr. Ruth at 90 The Chutzpah That Made Dr. Ruth the Real Wonder Woman Dr...

Caresse Crosby (1892-1970) was the inventor of the bra and a godmother to some of the biggest artists and literary names from the Lost Generation. She founded a publishing house, serving names like Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and William Faulkner. Her motto was, “Always yes, Caresse” — leading her into adventurous and controversial experiences during her life.  For Further Reading:  Inventing t...

Oei Hui-lan (1899-1992) was a dazzling socialite who used her style and fashion to walk between cultures and worlds of fashion and politics. Known for her adaptations of traditional Chinese dress, Hui-lan was a fashion icon who turned heads all over the world.  For Further Reading: Hui-Lan Koo, Madame Wellington Koo: An Autobiography Madame Wellington-Koo – Voted best dressed Chinese Woman of 1920...

Mary Quant (1930-2023) was one of the most iconic fashion designers of the 1960s. Her designs forever changed the way women dressed, bringing the whimsy of childhood patterns to stiff adult fashion, and–just maybe– introducing the world to the miniskirt.  For further reading: Quant by Quant Mary Quant: My Autobiography The Great Fashion Designers History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes fo...

Ann Lowe (c. 1898-1981) designed some of the most iconic couture dresses of the mid-20th century, including Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress. As the first Black designer to make a splash on New York City’s Madison Avenue, it would be decades before she got the recognition she deserved.  For further reading: How a Little-Known Black Pioneer Changed Fashion Forever Ann Lowe’s Barrier-Breaking Mid-...

Dung Ha (c. 1965-2000) was a powerful Vietnamese gangster who challenged the “Godfather of Saigon.” She broke gender expression rules and sexuality norms, creating a name for herself that lives on today. For Further Reading: Dung Ha: Vietnam’s Lesbian Mob Boss Dung Hà Police Finally Arrested This 65-Year-Old Transnational Drug Queen Vietnam Mob Trial Showcases Graft Nam Cam: Vietnam’s Godfather Go...

Veleda (c. 100 CE) was a seeress venerated by Germanic tribes for her prophecies and diplomatic gifts. She was considered a divinity on Earth. Veleda predicted the success of the rebellion that would halt the powerful Roman Empire’s expansion into Germanic territory and change the course of Europe’s history. For Further Reading: Meet Veleda: The German Priestess Who Made The Romans Tremble Germani...

Tomyris (unknown - 520 BCE) was the fierce queen who defended her kingdom against an invasion by Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia. After her victory, she captured the severed head of the conquered king and stuffed it into a bag of human blood. Her tale inspired many artists and poets, and she went on to become the subject of many classical paintings.  For Further Reading: MASSAGETAE – Encyclopa...

Ursula Southeil (c. 1488-1561), better known as “Mother Shipton,” was an English prophetess and seeress known for her predictions about the future. In the decades following her death, Ursula’s own life became the source of speculation and rumor. She was called Devil’s spawn, a witch, and a soothsayer in English folklore. For Further Reading: Mother Shipton’s Prophecies The Strange and Wonderful Wo...

Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer (c.1526 - 1588) embodied what it meant to be a heroine. As the owner of a shipyard, she played an important role in the 80 Years’ War against the Spanish government. Her bravery helped Haarlem survive a seven-month-long siege and demonstrated the importance of stories of strong women in Dutch history.  For further reading: How the Dutch word of Kenau changed its meani...

Scheherezade is the storyteller of the frame story for Arabian Nights or The Thousand and One Nights , a collection of stories that have been around since the 9th century. Scheherezade wove a new story night after night and left on a cliffhanger to enrapture and trick an evil sultan who wanted to take her life. For Further Reading: Scheherazade and the Arabian Nights Scheherazade: the story of a s...

María Remedios del Valle (unknown - 1847) was a real woman whose story of fierce fighting and selfless sacrifice made her a revolutionary hero. Many Argentines consider her La Madre de la Patria – the mother of the Homeland.  This month, we're talking about Folk Heroes. People whose lives and stories took on mythic proportions. History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When...

Etta Place (c. 1880s) is a mystery. The rifle-toting bandit of the Old West ran with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as part of the notorious train-robbing Wild Bunch. But who was she before she joined the gang? The legends and theories that chase Etta Place through time paint a picture of a woman who lived a daring life outside the margins of history books.  For Further Reading: Unsolved Myste...

Grace O’Malley (c. 1530-1603) is known as the iconic, pirate queen of Ireland. She is remembered through folklore as a skilled ship captain, a notorious rebel against the English monarchy, and a fierce pirate.  Further Reading Grace O'Malley: The Pirate Queen of Ireland The extraordinary life of Grace O'Malley Meeting Grace O’Malley, Ireland’s pirate queen This month, we're talking about Folk Hero...

Ng Akew (c. 1820 - c. 1914) was a resourceful woman who lived by sea, chased down pirates, and played a key role in shaping Hong Kong.  This month, we're talking about Folk Heroes. People whose lives and stories took on mythic proportions. History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so...

Catherine Monvoisin (1640-1680) was a French fortune teller, midwife, and professional poisoner who found herself at the center of a witch hunt when her attempt to poison King Louis XIV went awry. This month, we're talking about Folk Heroes. People whose lives and stories took on mythic proportions. History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’...