History Unhemmed

This episode takes a look at the vibrant and evocative members of La SAPE, the Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People, or the Sapeurs. Set against the backdrop of Congo's colonial past and post-independence struggles, clothing is about much more than just being fashionable. For the Sapeur, fine tailoring, luxe fabrics, and bold patterns are expressions of identity, resistance, and pride. From the streets of Brazzaville and Kinshasa to the global stage, join us as we discuss how these impeccably dressed individuals challenge the legacy of colonialism, reclaim dignity, and redefine masculinity through the power of dress.If you have any requests, questions, or simply feel like saying hello, we're friendly and Mr. B, our Executive Paw-ducer, is a purr-fect angel)! Please drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com.You can also find us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/History-Unhemmed/100084597553601/THANK YOU!RESOURCES:Ali, Mona M. “The Incredible Fashion of the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo.” Vogue Scandinavia, September 20, 2021. Aris, Gisele. The Power and Politics of Dress in Africa. Final project paper, University of Pennsylvania, 2007. Undergraduate Humanities Forum Mellon Research Fellow, Penn Humanities Forum on Travel.Callsen, Barbara. "Fashion and Migration: On the Construction of Masculinities in the Sape Movement Between the Congo and France." In Masculinities and Migration in Latinx and Francophone Literatures and Cultures, edited by Brendan P. Bisbey and Adriana Herrera Fuentes. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2025. Guinness. Meet Congo's Sapeurs. YouTube video, 2:02. January 17, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuGaRCPDl1c&t=50s.Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold's Ghost. New York: Mariner, 2020.Jorgensen, K.E. “Sapologie: Performing Postcolonial Identity in the Democratic Repuplic of Congo”. Toronto, Ontario : Master of Arts Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Histories, 2014.Lewis, Shantrelle P. Dandy Lion: The Black Dandy and Street Style. New York: Aperture, 2017. Miller, Monica L. 2009. Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Durham: Duke University Press.Porbeni, Beatrice. “The Congolese Dandies – A Piece of History.” Guardian Life, August 20, 2017. Tamagni, Daniele. Sapeurs: The Gentlemen of Bacongo. London: Trolley Books, 2009.Vainshtein, Olga. “13. Dandyism Revisited: From the English Gent to the Sapeur.” In Fashionable Masculinities: Queers, Pimp Daddies, and Lumbersexuals, edited by Vicki Karaminas, Adam Geczy, and Pamela Church Gibson, 177–191. Ithaca, NY: Rutgers University Press, 2022. Zaidi, Tariq. Sapeurs: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo. Heidelberg: Kehrer Verlag, 2020.

What happens when fashion, politics, and fraud collide in the glittering halls of Versailles? Tune in and find out about this gem-uine (yeah that really was awful) controversy! In this episode, we'll take a closer look at L'Affaire du Collier de la Reine or the Affair of the Queen's Necklace. This scandal shook the French monarchy, dragged Marie Antoinette's name through the mud, and became a turning point in the lead-up to the French Revolution. Come for the diamonds, stay for the the glitter, the grift, and the guillotine. If you have any requests, questions, or simply feel like saying hello (we're friendly and Mr. B, our Executive Paw-ducer, is a purr-fect angel), drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com.You can also find us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/History-Unhemmed/100084597553601/THANK YOU!RESOURCES:Beckman, Jonathan. How to Ruin a Queen: Marie Antoinette, the Stolen Diamonds and the Scandal that Shook the French Throne. United Kingdom: John Murray Press, 2014.Black, Jeremy. A Brief History of Slavery. London: Little, Brown Book Group, 2011.Campan, Jeanne Louise Henriette. Memoirs of the Court of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France. United States: L. C. Page, 1900. Available on Google Books Carlyle, Thomas. The Diamond Necklace. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913.Fraser, Antonia. Marie Antoinette: The Journey. New York: Anchor Books, 2001.Kitchin, Thomas (1778). The Present State of the West-Indies: Containing an Accurate Description of What Parts Are Possessed by the Several Powers in Europe. London: R. Baldwin, 1778.Valois-Saint-Rémy, Jeanne (Countess de La Motte). The Diamond Necklace. Burbank, CA: Creative Media Partners, LLC, 2023.Miller, Christopher L. The French Atlantic Triangle. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2008.Weber, Caroline. Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution. New York: Henry Holt, 2006. Yonan, Michael E. The Cultural Aesthetics of Eighteenth-Century Porcelain. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2017.

And (after an eternity)…we're back! Join us today as we take a closer look at the fascinating (and perhaps a bit messy) history of period garments. Not breeches and corsets à la Bridgerton period dress, but the development of things like menstrual belts, vaginal packs, early tampons, and the rise of reusable options like the mooncup and period pants/panties. We'll explore where these products came front, the cultural forces and taboos that shaped them, and how they've evolved in relation to changing societal attitudes toward menstruation. It's sure to be a bloody brilliant ride!If you have any requests, questions, or simply feel like saying hello (we're friendly and Mr. B, our Executive Paw-ducer, is a purr-fect angel), drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com.You can also find us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/History-Unhemmed/100084597553601/We are also on Patreon at: Patreon.com/historyunhemmedTHANK YOU!RESOURCES:Alliance for Period Supplies. "The History of Period Products." Last modified November 7, 2023. https://allianceforperiodsupplies.org/the-history-of-period-products/.History Colorado. “Period Piece: Menstruation's Hidden History.” August 16, 2024. https://www.historycolorado.org/story/2024/08/16/period-piece-menstruations-hidden-history.Horwitz, Rainey, "Menstrual Tampon". Embryo Project Encyclopedia ( 2020-05-25 ). ISSN: 1940-5030 https://hdl.handle.net/10776/13151Jaafar H, Ismail SY, Azzeri A. Period Poverty: A Neglected Public Health Issue. Korean J Fam Med. 2023 Jul;44(4):183-188. doi: 10.4082/kjfm.22.0206. Epub 2023 May 16. PMID: 37189262; PMCID: PMC10372806.Kijowska, Wiktoria. “Sanitary Suspenders to Mooncups: A Brief History of Menstrual Products.” Victoria and Albert Museum. Last modified August 16, 2024. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/a-brief-history-of-menstrual-products.King, Helen. Making History (blog), https://mistakinghistories.uk/.Stein, Elissa, and Susan Kim. Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2009.Thomas C. T. Buckley, Alma Gottlieb. Blood Magic: The Anthropology of Menstruation. University of California Press, 1988

What is History Unhemmed ? Allow us to introduce ourselves in 30ish seconds! Be sure to tune in - new episodes drop Monday April 14!

In this episode, we unravel the origins of the qipao or cheongsam. This garment is inextricably linked to the formation of modern China and has origins going back to at least the Qing Dynasty. Join us as we explore its role as a symbol of elegance and empowerment. If you have any requests, questions, or simply feel like saying hello (we're friendly and Mr. B won't bite), drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find us on social media: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/History-Unhemmed/100084597553601/ We are also on Patreon at: Patreon.com/historyunhemmed THANK YOU! RESOURCES: Finnane, Antonia. Changing Clothes in China: Fashion, History, Nation. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. Lee, Chor Lin and Chung May Khuen. In the Mood for Cheongsam: A Social History, 1920s-Present. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 2012. Ling, Wessie and S Segre Reinach (eds). Fashion in Multiple Chinas: Chinese Styles in the Transglobal Landscape. London/Oxford: I.B. Tauris/Bloomsbury, 2018. Ling, Wessie. Fusionable Cheongsam. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2007. Sim, Cheryl. Wearing the Cheongsam: Dress and Culture in a Chinese Diaspora. London & New York: Bloomsbury, 2019. Steel, Valerie and John S. Major. China Chic: East Meets West. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed/support

Join us as we explore the fascinating and multi-faceted history of the polka dot. These innocuous little spots contain multitudes, from technological advancements to a risqué dance craze. If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  and/or follow us on social media: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/p/History-Unhemmed-100084597553601/ Support us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ THANK YOU! RESOURCES:  Johns Hopkins University. "Introducing Data Science: Big Data, Machine Learning, and More, Free Online Textbook." https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/items/6cf47d49-4968-46ee-a8f9-c7c8c35b55ac. Knox, Charles Henry. The Spirit of the Polka. Legare Street Press, 2023. Kusama, Yayoi and Delphine Arnault, Akira Tatehata, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and Mika Yoshitake. Louis Vuitton Yayoi Kusama. New York: Rizzoli, 2023. Le Tour de France. "The Polka Dot Jersey." https://www.letour.fr/en/the-jerseys-tour-de-france/the-polka-dot-jersey. PBS Western Reserve. "The History of Polka: From Europe to Northeast Ohio." ⁠https://www.pbswesternreserve.org/blogs/luminus-stories-about-us/the-history-of-polka-from-europe-to-northeast-ohio/#:~:text=The%20origins%20of%20polka%20are,day%20Czech%20Republic%20and%20Poland⁠. Stewart, Jude. Patternalia: An Uncovered History of Polka Dots, Stripes, Plaid, Camouflage, and Other Graphic Patterns.  New York: Bloomsbury, 2015.  Welters, Linda and Cunningham, Patricia A. (eds.). Twentieth-century American Fashion. New York: Berg, 2005.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed/support

Today's episode delves into the life of April Ashley, a fashion icon and a pioneering figure in the transgender community. Despite facing tremendous challenges and frequent discrimination, Ashley emerged as a resilient advocate for transgender rights, contributing to greater awareness and acceptance. Support us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠  and/or follow us on social media: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/p/History-Unhemmed-100084597553601/ THANK YOU! RESOURCES:  Ashley, April and Duncan Fallowell. April Ashley's Odyssey. London: Arena, 1982. "April Ashley: Portrait of a Lady." Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool Museums, https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/museum-of-liverpool/exhibition/april-ashley-portrait-of-lady. "April Ashley: The Legal Battle." The National Archives Blog, National Archives UK, https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/april-ashley-the-legal-battle/. "April Ashley, Transgender Pioneer in Britain, Dies at 86." The New York Times, January 3, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/03/world/europe/april-ashley-dead.html. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed/support

EPISODE NOTES: It's that time of year again! Hopefully you have your "Eatin' Pants" clean, mended, and ready to roll. Enjoy today's episode, and a little snack, as we explore the history of the elastic waistband and your favorite stretchy slacks! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed⁠⁠⁠ If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠⁠⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠  and/or follow us on social media: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Leather Face and Norman Bates and their penchant for human skin is the stuff of horror movies and fuel for more than a few nightmares. Sometimes, however, the truth is weirder (and creepier) than fiction! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed⁠⁠ If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠ and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: From the flagellant confraternities of the Middle Ages to the penitents of of the Spanish Inquisition, from Dunce Caps to the uniform one of the most hated terrorist organizations in the United States, the long face-covering cap has quite the colorful and interwoven tale to tell. ⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed⁠ If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠ and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: For millennia, Dhaka was renowned for its exquisite cotton textiles. The resplendent fabrics from Bengal were highly sought after in markets from China and Indonesia to France and England. Particularly muslin. In the late 18th century the British ultimately murdered Dhaka Muslin. ⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed⁠ If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠ and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Holy cow! We've hit our 20th episode! In the second half of the twentieth century, Barbie and other fashion doll makers grapple with issues of identity and representation. THe third of History Unhemmed's three-episode segment on the history of the fashion doll. If you would like, you can support us at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed⁠⁠ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed⁠ If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com⁠ and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: In the twentieth century, the pandora doll had disappeared as a professional tool. The relationship between fashion and dolls, however, remained a very close one. After WWII, the plastic fashion doll for children arose from some less than wholesome beginnings, to take the world by storm. In this second of three episodes on the fashion doll, History Unhemmed takes a closer look at some little fashionistas who had a huge impact. If you would like, you can support us at:https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmedDrop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: She inspired fashion trends on a global scale. She taught young girls and grown women alike about the dressing styles of royal courts across Europe and how to wield fashion as tool…and a weapon. Before there was Barbie, there was Pandora. This episode is the first of three exploring the family tree of Mattel's most famous It girl and her contemporaries. If you would like, you can support us at:https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed Drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com and/or follow us on social media: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed   Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: The shirtwaist emerged in the mid-late nineteenth century. It soon became a symbol of the modern working woman, and by the early twentieth century, shirtwaists were mass manufactured and widely available. However, this would come at a devastating cost to the workers (mostly women) who produced them. On the afternoon of March 25, 1911, fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. This would go down in history as one of the worst industrial disasters in American history and its impact would be felt more than a century later. If you would like, you can support us at:https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed Drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed   Thank you!

History Unhemmed is a podcast about the sometimes shiny...more often sinister and shady side of fashion history. Tune in for tales of sartorial scandals, fashionable foibles, and deadly duds every other week! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed/support

EPISODE NOTES: "It's better to be looked over than overlooked." So was the motto of Nudie's Rodeo Tailors. The company's brash and bombastic frontman Nudie Cohn, an early twentieth-century Ukrainian Jewish immigrant. From humble origins, Nudie carved out a name for himself as the king of sparkly, campy, and shiny western wear favored by everyone from country crooners to rock and roll royalty. If you would like, you can support us at:https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed Drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: From humble beginnings in rural Alabama, Ann Cole Lowe rose to become one of the most sought after fashion designers of the twentieth century. Her life story is one of tremendous highs and cruel hardships. Tune in to hear about New York high society's "best kept secret" of the mid-twentieth century. If you would like, you can support us at:https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historyunhemmed Drop us a line at historyunhemmedpodcast@gmail.com and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES:Dressing up in costumes and masks has been at the heart of carnival celebrations since the founding of the city in the 1718. In the twentieth century, new groups emerged challenging the status quo and reshaping the festivities into the celebration that is the biggest tourist draw and the most famous public festivities of the Crescent City. If you would like, you can support us at: https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmed https://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support   And/or follow us on social media: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed   Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Every year, one of the biggest parties in the United States takes place in the 300-year-old streets of New Orleans. This episode traces the history of Mardi Gras and its costuming practices in New Orleans up to the twentieth century. Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Eat your greens and black eyed peas, make your champagne or whiskey toasts and enjoy some fireworks. The New Year brings with it many traditions, and in many parts of the world that includes wearing red underwear for luck. Tune in to delve into the origins of this tradition and why a little piece of red fabric carries such a huge and varied history! Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: It's not the holiday season without a tacky and over-the-top sweater! This episode will examine how the popular festive garment came to be. Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Sort of a continuation on the subject of Episode 9, this episode will explore the rise and subsequent fall of paper fashion trends in Europe and American through the 20th century.  Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES:   Though paper is not the first material for clothing we typically think of, it has been used to make garments going back centuries. This episode will explore the that long-lived tradition in Korea and Japan. Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Everyone loves a good ghost story, so settle in and snuggle up as today's episode examines the story of a heartbroken bride to be, an iron-willed business man, and a haunted wedding dress! Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES:What better way to kick off spooky season that with a grisly Victorian murder? Tune in for a complicated tale of love, betrayal, murder, and a not-so-little black dress!Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES:This episode is a follow up to episode 5 where we got into the nitty gritty of the zoot suit's origins. This episode is dedicated to the bloody conflict that surrounded the suit nationally and internationally in the 1940s, including the infamous zoot suit riots of Los Angeles. Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES:The first of two episodes dedicated to a controversial and incredibly consequential piece of twentieth century menswear. This episode will delve into the history of the zoot suit and the different groups and individuals who helped bring it about and how it became an icon of social and political resistance.  Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES:With his large coiffure and bright clothes, the Macaroni was a ubiquitous image in pamphlets, newspapers, and magazine in the 18th century. His unusual appearance and behavior made him a target and an icon.  Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: Today we're going to talk about the Dowager Empress Cixi (1835–1908) of late Qing Dynasty (1644-1991) China. A complicated and controversial historical figure, she ultimately rewrote the court dress code as she brought China into the twentieth century. Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: When two creative powerhouses get together, madness (and a little lobster) is not off the menu! Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali were individually massive personalities and iconic figures. Together, they blew up and blurred lines between art and fashion. Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!

EPISODE NOTES: In today's episode, we will be discussing the medieval chastity belt. We will talk about what it was, where it came from, and how the idea has evolved over the years to the present day.   Support us at :https://www.patreon.com/historyunhemmedhttps://anchor.fm/historyunhemmed/support Follow us on: Instagram: @history_unhemmed Facebook: History Unhemmed Thank you!