Dressed: The History of Fashion

The Joy of Fashion, an Interview with Pat Cleveland

17 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we talk with fashion icon and fashion model pioneer Pat Cleveland about her fifty-plus year career in fashion. Want more Dressed: The Histor...

FHM #31: The Cyclical Nature of Fashion

12 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, April and Cassidy discuss which forgotten fashion staples they would love to make a comeback and which cyclical fashion trends should remai...

Global Vision: Tina Leser

10 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Often cited as a progenitor of the American Look, fashion designer Tina Leser's vision was greater than the polarizing discourse of French versus Amer...

FHM #30: Making Mrs. Maisel

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we take a peek inside the Paley Center for Media's exhibition Making Maisel Marvelous. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ih...

Fashion Period. An Interview with Dr. Shannon Withycombe

03 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Periods. A universally taboo topic for 1000s of years, menstruation was only addressed commercially in the early 20th century. We talk the pad's evolu...

FHM #29: Enfleurage: 17th Century Perfume Making with Dryland Wilds

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we meet Cebastien and Robin, the women behind the botanical beauty line Dryland Wilds, and learn all about their modern day use of the 17th ...

The Golden Age of Haute Couture, LIVE from the Dallas Museum of Art

27 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hot off the press and LIVE from Dallas, join us for our first live episode of Dressed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcas...

FHM #28: Origin of the Poodle Skirt

22 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's mini-sode explores the story of Juli Lynne Charlot who created a 50s classic: the poodle skirt. Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

FHM #27: The Origin of the Moon Manicure with Suzanne Shapiro

15 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We answer a listener query about the moon-shaped manicure of the 1920s and 30s with Suzanne Shapiro, author of Nails: the Story of the Modern Manicure...

FHM #26: A Mermaid's Tale

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's mini-sode we answer a query from a real-life mermaid. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSuppor...

Mary Quant, an Interview with Jenny Lister

06 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1960s, Mary Quant launched her fashion revolution amid a rainbow of mini-skirts and hot pants. This week, we explore her life and legacy with J...

FHM #25: The Auction House Allure

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we discuss the role of auction houses in the collecting of historic dress in a continued conversation with Timothy Long, Director, Senior Sp...

Charles James: Genius Deconstructed, an Interview with Timothy Long

30 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Timothy Long takes us inside the multi-tiered genius of Charles James, the self-taught fashion designer behind some of the most innovative and breatht...

Fashion History Mystery #24: The History of Penny Loafers

25 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A staple of various style tribes, Nancy MacDonell joins us to speak about the history of the penny loafer. Learn more about your ad-choices at http...

Space Age Fashion: an interview with Sarah Jean Culbreth

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing and we are joined by Sarah Jean Culbeth to discuss the space age fashions of Pierre Car...

Fashion History Mystery #23: Origin Story: Sailor and Peter Pan Collars

18 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we explore the fascinating origins of the so-called "sailor" and "peter pan" style collars.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

Fashion Animals, an interview with Joshua Katcher

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Animal rights activist and vegan menswear designer Joshua Katcher joins us to talk about the relationship between humans and the animals they wear. ...

Fashion History Mystery #22: Fall 2019 Couture Fashion Collections

11 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Cassidy and April discuss the art and history inherent in the latest 2019 Couture Fashion Collections.  Learn more about your ad-choice...

50 Years of the Ebony Fashion Fair, an interview with Joy Bivins

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For fifty years, Ebony magazine's groundbreaking Fashion Fair brought the crème de la crème of high fashion to audiences across the USA and around t...

Fashion History Mystery #21: Isabelle de Borchgrave

04 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for a peep inside the work of Isabelle de Borchgrave who creates incredible life-size replicas of historic fashions not from silk, velvet and ...

Gender Bending Fashion, pt. 2: an interview with Michelle Tolini Finamore

02 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Men just might enjoy the comfort of skirts! This week we speak to Michelle Tolini Finamore about her exhibition Gender Bending Fashion which is curren...

Fashion History Mystery #20: History of the Pride Flag

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's World Pride month and all things rainbow! This week's minisode discusses the origin of the multicolored pride flag emblazoned upon innumerable ga...

Gender Bending Fashion, pt. 1: an interview with Michelle Tolini Finamore

25 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Who gets to wear the pants?! This week we speak to Michelle Tolini Finamore about her exhibition Gender Bending Fashion which is currently on view at ...

Fashion History Mystery #19: Should These Clothes Be Saved?

20 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Cassidy and April discuss a recent New York Time's article by Vanessa Friedman which brings up some interesting questions regarding the relevance and ...

Power of Pattern: Central Asian Ikats, an interview with Clarissa Esguerra

18 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, exhibition curator Clarissa Esguerra teaches us all about the sophisticated resist-dying ikat technique responsible for the resplendent tex...

Fashion History Mystery #18: Like a Fine Wine: What Makes Clothing "Vintage"?

13 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in this week to learn about the distinctions between what is considered antique versus vintage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

The Language of Fans, an interview with Laura Camerlengo

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Much more than practical tools for cooling the body, Laura Camerlengo joins us to speak about the myriad of ways fans have been used historically as e...

Fashion History Mystery #17: Addressing Dress

06 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for fun with words! Today we address "dress."  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSupport this podcas...

Styling the American Suffragist, an interview with Raissa Bretaña

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment. In gratitude to the American women who fought for the right to vote, we speak ...

Fashion History Mystery #16: Of Beards and Men

30 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we answer a listener question about the history of men's facial hair with Dr. Christopher Oldstone-Moore, author of the book Of Beards and Men:...

Men in Heels: a His (and Her) Story, an Interview with Elizabeth Semmelhack

28 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

High heels have long been the domain of women--but first they were worn by men. This week, we track the evolution of the high heel as worn by male cav...

Fashion History Mystery #15: Pantone

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we discuss the 'shadiest' company around, the world's leading authority on color intelligence, Pantone. Learn more about your ad-choices ...

The Dress Detective, an interview with Amber Butchart

21 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fashion history and crime labs may seem like strange bedfellows. This week we speak to real-life dress detective, Amber Butchart, about her work in fo...

Fashion History Mystery #14: "Copying: a Fancy Name for Stealing"

16 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Detective hats on, Cassidy and April address a listener question regarding fashion copying: fashion fakes are nothing new, but just when and where did...

The Art of Embroidery, an Interview with Nadia Albertini, Part II

14 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In part two of our interview with embroidery designer Nadia Albertini, we learn how the age old craft is kept alive at the hands of skilled artisans f...

Fashion History Mystery #13: Party of the Year: The Met Gala

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we look into the storied history of one of the world's most sought-after social invitations: The Met Gala. Learn more about your ad-choic...

The Art of Embroidery, an Interview with Nadia Albertini, Part I

07 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we learn all about the fascinating history behind one of humankind's oldest forms of adornment with embroidery designer and historian Nadia Alb...

Fashion History Mystery #12: Chat-a-what?

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we answer a query about the once indispensable accessory now lost to time: the chatelaine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

"The New Freedom Thing in in Fashion" or How Jeans Got Their Stretch

30 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we learn how "the new freedom thing in fashion" became the industry standard for the production of women's--and more and more men's-- jeans....

Fashion History Mystery #11: Rosie Gets a Shingle

25 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's edition of Fashion History Mystery, we look into vintage hairstyle terms including the bob and the shingle. Learn more about your ad...

April Goes to Beauty School: the 1944 Du Barry Success Course

23 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To investigate charm schools of the 1940s, April recently completed the six weeks Du Barry Success Course of diet, exercise, posture and beauty ritual...

Fashion History Mystery #10: The Other Dust Ruffle

18 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's edition of Fashion History Mystery, April and Cassidy answer the question: didn't women's long skirts get really dirty in the 19th cent...

Fashion and the Art of Pochoir

16 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Cassidy and April take you inside their book Fashion and the Art of Pochoir to learn all about the painterly hand-stenciling technique that...

Fashion History Mystery #9: Don't Sweat It

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's mini-sode we explore how the matter of perspiration has been handled historically. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.i...

The Other Danish Girl: Gerda Wegener

09 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Alicia Vikander may have won an Oscar for her portrayal of Gerda Wegener in the 2015 film, The Danish Girl, but the film only scratches the surface of...

Fashion History Mystery #8: Origin Story: Mary Janes

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we explore the unlikely origin story of Mary Janes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSupport this ...

Remaking Fashion History: an Interview with John Bright

02 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we sit down with Oscar-winning costume designer John Bright to discuss his prolific career in film and TV that spans five decades. A collect...

Fashion History Mystery #7: Amish Fashion Designers?

28 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we answer the listener question: are there any fashion designers from the Amish tradition? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://w...

A Vanderbilt House Party--The Gilded Age, an Interview with Leslie Klingner

26 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we go behind the scenes of Biltmore Estate's latest exhibition A Vanderbilt House Party--The Gilded Age with the estate's Curator of Interpr...

Fashion History Mystery #6: Origins of Polka Dots

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we answer a listener question about the origin of poka dots, by diving all the way back to the Middle Ages' taboo about wearing spots.  ...

A History of Stoutwear, an interview with Dr. Lauren Downing Peters

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dubbed "stoutwear" at the turn of the 20th century, Dr. Lauren Downing Peters joins us this week to discuss the history of plus-size fashion. Learn...

Fashion History Mystery #5: Thierry Mugler

14 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Following Cardi B's stunning vintage ensembles at the 2019 Grammys, we answer the question posed by many listeners: Who is Thierry Mugler? Learn mo...

Finding Beauty, an Interview with Photographer Tony Vaccaro

12 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we talk to the photographer Tony Vaccaro about his prolific seventy-plus year career photographing fashion, celebrity and World War. His su...

Fashion History Mystery #4: To Wear or Not to Wear?

07 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Cassidy and April address the question: when is it ok to wear historical clothing and how to preserve our family heirlooms.  Learn more ...

Historical Costuming with American Duchess

05 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It is one thing to study the history of fashion, it is another thing entirely to wear it! This week we meet historical costumers Lauren and Abby, the ...

Fashion History Mystery #3: Fashion History at the Oscars!

28 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, April and Cassidy discuss all things Oscars' fashion! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSupport th...

Cult Style: an interview with Sarah Byrd

26 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Where do belief and and clothing intersect? This week we speak to Sarah Byrd about the clothing choices of some of America's fringe religious groups. ...

Fashion History Mystery: Favorite Fashion Books

21 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Cassidy and April share their favorite fashion history books of all time! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastne...

Fashion and Flight: Pioneering Aviatrixes, an interview with Katharine Dorny

19 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1920s, the fearless women that took to the skies became celebrities overnight. How did the media spotlight shape early aviatrixes relationship ...

Fashion History Mystery: How To Become a Fashion Historian

14 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We answer your questions in our Thursday Fashion History Mystery minisodes! This week we answer the question several of you have posed: 'how do you be...

Dior: From Paris to the World, an interview with Florence Müller

12 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Just in time for Fashion Week, Dressed is back for Season 2 with a behind-the-scenes look at Denver Art Museum's exhibition Dior: From Paris to the Wo...

What the Tux?: a History of the Tuxedo, an interview with Chloe Chapin

01 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder why "acceptable" forms of dress for men are so prescriptive? So formulaic? In this episode we speak to Chloe Chapin about the origins of m...

Black Dandyism: a Cultural History, an interview with Monica L. Miller, Part II

25 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In part two of this two part series, we continue to explore the history of the black dandy into the 20th and 21st centuries with Monica L. Miller, aut...

Black Dandyism: a Cultural History, an interview with Monica L. Miller, Part I

18 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this illuminating two-part series, we explore the cultural history of black dandyism with Monica L. Miller, author of the book Slaves to Fashion: B...

Fashion Lovers: Dorothy Todd & Madge Garland

11 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From 1922 to 1926, lovers Dorothy Todd and Madge Garland transformed British Vogue into a forum for artists, writers and other luminaries of the moder...

Balenciaga: The Master of Us All, an interview with Miren Arzalluz

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Miren Arzalluz, Director of the Palais Galliera in Paris, joins us to discuss the "master of us all," Cristóbal Balenciaga. Learn more a...

The Battle of Versailles, an interview with Robin Givhan

27 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks the 45th anniversary of one of American fashion's greatest moments. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robin Givhan joins us to discuss...

Bloomerism and Feminism, in Conversation with Stuff Mom Never Told You

20 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ladies in pants, oh my! We recently had the pleasure of joining Anney Reese on Stuff Mom Never Told You to discuss the history of the short-lived "Blo...

Rebel Threads, an interview with Roger Burton, part II **Bonus Episode**

15 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In 1979, Roger Burton worked with punk style innovators Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McClaren to design their boutique World's End. The couple soon w...

Rebel Threads, an interview with Roger Burton, part I

13 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we explore the clothing of rebellious youth sub-cultures from the 1940s to the 1960s with vintage collector, costume designer--and original ...

Fashionable Filipinas, an interview with Gino Gonzales

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we explore the fashion origins and evolution of the Philippino terno with guest Gino Gonzales, co-author of the book Fashionable Filipinas....

Dissecting the Flapper (Bonus Episode)

01 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For a bonus minisode in honor of Halloween, we "dissect" the iconic flapper look from head to toe. Want more Dressed: The History of Fashion?  Our w...

When Fashion Kills, an interview with Dr. Alison Matthews David

30 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes fashion can kill--literally. From combustible crinolines to strangling scarves, this week we explore fashion's deadly history with Dr. Aliso...

Fierce: A History of Leopard Print, an interview with Jo Weldon

23 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We get puurrrfectly WILD this week with author, activist and burlesque superstar Jo Weldon! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartp...

Pink, an interview with Dr. Valerie Steele

16 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we speak with Dr. Valerie Steele, Director of The Museum at FIT, about her exhibition Pink: A Pretty, Punk, Powerful Color.  Want more Dressed:...

Ruth Finley and the Fashion Calendar, an interview with Natalie Nudell

09 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A tribute to the passing of American fashion insider, Ruth Finley, whose Fashion Calendar was and continues to be a critical element in producing Fash...

Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For artist Frida Kahlo, clothing, art and identity were inextricably linked. The V & A's current exhibition Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up explores t...

Bonus episode! Exhibiting Fashion: an Interview with Fashion Conservator Sarah Scaturro, part II

27 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's bonus episode, we continue our conversation with Sarah Scaturro, head conservator at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum o...

Exhibiting Heavenly Bodies: an Interview with Fashion Conservator Sarah Scaturro, part I

25 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we go behind the scenes of the exhibition Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination with Sarah Scaturro, head conservator at th...

From Russia With Love: Valentina

18 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One of American fashion's first famous designers wasn't American at all. Meet Valentina Schlee, the intoxicatingly beautiful Russian lover of Greta Ga...

The American Look, a chat with Dr. Rebecca Arnold (Bonus Episode)

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of New York Fashion Week, we speak with Dr. Rebecca Arnold about the origins of American style. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

Gordon Parks: the Man of Many Hats

11 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gordon Parks (1912-2006) was one of the 20th and 21st centuries great luminaries, most famous for his prolific career as a photojournalist for LIFE ma...

Dress Like an Egyptian, an interview with Egyptologist Dr. Colleen Darnell

04 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we talk to Egyptologist--and vintage fashion aficionada-- Dr. Colleen Darnell about the role of clothing and artifice in the lives of the An...

Fashion and Sustainability, an interview with Tara St. James

28 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The fashion industry is the world's second largest polluter. This week we talk to fashion designer and educator Tara St. James about the intersection ...

Incredible and Marvelous: Fashion's First Hipsters

21 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Amid the French Revolution, a youth subculture became notorious for adopting styles so extreme they were dubbed 'incredible' and 'marvelous.' This wee...

Fashion and Politics: The French Revolution

14 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout the history of dress, never have fashion and politics been more entwined than during the French Revolution. Want more Dressed: The History ...

A Century of Fashion Photography, an interview with Paul Martineau

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we talk about a century of fashion photography with Paul Martineau, curator of the new exhibition Icons of Style at the J. Paul Getty Museum...

The Swimsuit: a Revealing History, Part II

31 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From the bikini to the thong, this week we explore the continued evolution of one of the most controversial garments in history: the swimsuit. Lear...

The Swimsuit: a Revealing History, Part I

24 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In part one of this two-part series, we explore the origins of one of the most controversial garments in history: the swimsuit. Learn more about yo...

Lea Gottlieb & Gottex Swimwear, an interview with Keren Ben-Horin

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we meet Israeli swimwear designer and innovater Lea Gottlieb (1918-2012), the visionary founder of the luxury swimwear brand Gottex.  Le...

Silhouette and Leotard: a Tale of Two Men?

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this week’s episode, we meet the men behind the fashion: Étienne de Silhouette (1709-1767) and Jules Leotard (1842-1870). Learn more about yo...

The Gentleman Couturier: Hubert de Givenchy

03 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week is Haute Couture Week in Paris and we bring you an in memoriam episode on one of couture's greats: Hubert de Givenchy. Learn more about y...

She's a Fashion Plate, an interview with Antoine Bucher and Nicolas Montagne

26 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, we speak with Antoine Bucher and Nicolas Montagne of Librarie Diktats about the history of fashion plates, prints which served...

Wonderbra, an interview with Alexis Walker

19 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we speak with fashion historian Alexis Walker about the innovation and history behind Wonderbra. Learn more about your ad-choices at http...

Queen Alexandra: Behind the Seams, an interview with Kate Strasdin

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we delve behind the seams with fashion historian Kate Strasdin to rediscover the sartorial legacies--and anti-aging secrets-- of the ever yo...

Jewelry of Sentiment pt. 2: an interview with Courtney Lane

05 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the second installment of Jewelry of Sentiment, we speak with Courtney Lane, a modern-day practitioner of hair work. Learn more about your ad-ch...

Jewelry of Sentiment pt. 1: The Art of Hair Work

29 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries, locks of human hair were cherished tokens exchanged between friends and loved ones. In this episode, we investigate the art of hair wor...

Gaby Deslys: the Modern Body, Fashion & Spectacle

22 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gaby Deslys was one of the most famous performers of the WWI era. Her unapologetic independence--and body-baring costumes--also made her one of the mo...

Cashmere with a "K": The Controversial History of a Shawl

15 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cultural appropriation and colonialism lie at the heart of the 19th century fashion trend for "cashmere" shawls, the anglicized version of the Kashmir...

Elsa Schiaparelli

08 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Elsa Schiaparelli is one of the most unique voices fashion has ever seen. Her penchant for daring designs was often inspired by her close friendships ...