Have you ever looked back at Past You and cringed? Maybe you found an old photograph and wondered what possessed you to buy, let alone wear, that hideous outfit. Perhaps Facebook showed you a post you wrote nearly a decade ago and you couldn't quite believe you were that naive back then. You might have... Continue Reading →
There are many things that can be learnt about fashion history by studying surviving garments, but there is one question that I always get asked when I show my own personal research collection which is really tricky to answer simply by looking, or by touching the fabric with your fingers. How does it feel to... Continue Reading →
Well, this year has been quite something, huh? Still, not even a global pandemic is going to stop me from announcing my Super Humans! Every year since 2011, I have shared a list of the people who have had positive impact on my life in the previous 12 months and, in my opinion, deserve an... Continue Reading →
So, as you can see, my writing's been a bit 'on hold' so far this year. I'm two weeks into a brand new job with a brand new employer and have to admit that I'd forgotten how much energy and brainpower it takes to do that. It's been a great experience so far (really great!)... Continue Reading →
My love affair with the neckline known as 'boat neck' or 'bateau neckline' is a long one but, following the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Saturday, I imagine it's going to be a lot easier to find that style in high street stores than it has been in recent years! Inspired... Continue Reading →
This January, Stylist have launched their Visible Women campaign to celebrate the brilliance of all women by: raising the profiles of important women past and present; and empowering future generations to follow their lead. It's an exciting initiative that is timed to coincide with the centenary of women in the UK winning the right to... Continue Reading →
As part of its quest to bring the history of underwear to a wider audience, making collections and research freely accessible online, The Underpinnings Museum is hosting a Twitter conference on Friday 12th January 2018. Anyone with a public Twitter account and an interest in the history of underwear is invited to submit their idea... Continue Reading →
I'm currently volunteering one day a week at UAL's Archives and Special Collections Centre (ASCC), based at London College of Communication in Elephant & Castle. This week, I got to join one of the tours given to students. The tour took place in the search room, which is where visiting researchers sit to explore the... Continue Reading →
Starting a long and tiring week going through the contents of every dusty box in the room didn't fill Jenny with joy. Of all the things she loved about her job, this was the part that felt the most arduous. Ahead of her were days of lifting each container down from its shelf, comparing the... Continue Reading →
Pretty much everyone who knows me is now aware that, a few years ago, I did an MA part-time alongside my job and my Master's dissertation was on technology and the bra in the twentieth century. Since then, I have been looking for ways to share this research as I love talking about the things... Continue Reading →