When we talk about the right to vote for women, we often think of the women who fought in the early twentieth century, but nineteenth-century men and women alike were questioning strict gender roles and the cultural presumptions made about women including philosophers Harriet Taylor Mill and John Stuart Mill. Read our guest blog post to learn more! On May … Read More
1870s Fashion History: Bustles
A funny thing was happening in the 1870s. The expansive skirts that were all the rage in the 1860s were changing and–thanks in part to new inventions in fashion–women’s rears were bigger than ever. Much like today, the fashionable silhouette shifts from year to year. For many years, a bell-shaped silhouette was popular, created by layers of petticoats, then horsehair … Read More
Swimming Inventions of the 19th Century
Peoples around the world have taken pleasure in swimming throughout history and prehistory. Generally, they would swim in the nude or undergarments, like the Japanese fundoshi or a garment similar to boxer shorts in England. But Western concepts of modesty especially in the nineteenth century meant specialized garments for swimming but also specialized machines and jobs!