The Perfect Figure for $1: Why the Past Was More Body Positive Than We Are

What if the eras famous for corsets and crinolines never expected you to have the right body to begin with? The past cared deeply about the ideal silhouette, but what your body actually looked like underneath was almost beside the point. Whether it was padding, boning, or a well-placed ruffle, historical fashion treated the perfect figure as something anyone could build.

Join fashion history expert Emma Rowland as she explores how 18th, 19th, and early 20th century dress culture approached body image very differently than we do now, and what that history can tell us about the way we think about bodies today. From stays to flat-front corsets to the earliest ready-to-wear sizing charts, this lecture takes a fresh look at a familiar story.

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Host or Publisher Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden