Fashion and Women’s Liberation: Role of Clothing in the Fight for Suffrage

Drawing on her Master’s degree in Public Policy and extensive experience in US domestic politics, Emma will analyze the political forces that drove fashion changes between the 1850s and 1920s. Discover how reformers challenged the typical fashions of the day as a barrier to women’s participation in public life, how the bloomer movement sparked national controversy, and how suffragists strategically used white dresses and yellow roses as visual indicators in their campaigns.

Through authentic antique garments from Emma’s personal collection, attendees will see firsthand how changes in silhouette and acceptable styles reflected and enabled women’s expanding roles beyond the domestic sphere. This lecture offers a unique perspective on women’s history, combining rigorous policy analysis with material culture to reveal how the fight for suffrage was woven into the fabric of everyday life.

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Host or Publisher Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden