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 [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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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 [email protected].

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We are also on Patreon at: Patreon.com/historyunhemmed

THANK 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/10776/13151
Jaafar 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 [email protected].

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RESOURCES:

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

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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. 

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:

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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.

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!

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 Thank you! <3

RESOURCES: 

Clemente, Deirdre. Dress Casual: How College Students Redefined American Style. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2014.

Farrell-Beck, Jane and Colleen Gau. Uplift: The Bra in America. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002. 

Jackson, Joe. The Thief at the End of the World. New York: Viking, 2008.

Schmidt, Christine. The Swimsuit: Fashion from Poolside to Catwalk. London: Berg, 2012.

Slack, Charles. Noble Obsession: Charles Goodyear, Thomas Hancock, and the Race to Unlock the Greatest Industrial Secret of the 19th Century. New York: Hyperion, 2003.

Warner, Patricia Campbell. When the Girls Came Out to Play: The Birth of American Sportswear. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2006.

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!

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If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you! <3

RESOURCES: 

de Baecque, Antoine. Glory and Terror: Seven Deaths Under the French Revolution. Oxford: Taylor & Francis, 2013.

Dorsey, Carolyn. “Antoine Le Blanc: A shocking story of murder and a community’s revenge.” Morristown Green. September 26, 2014. https://morristowngreen.com/2014/09/26/antoine-le-blanc-a-shocking-story-of-murder-and-a-communitys-revenge/

Douglas, John E., Olshaker, Mark. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit. New York: Scribner, 1998.

Hunt, Lynn. The French Revolution and Human Rights: A Brief History with Documents. New York: St. Martin's, 2016.

Maffie, James. Aztec Philosophy: Understanding a World in Motion. Boulder: Colorado University Press, 2014.

La Lande, Jérôme de. Art du Tanneur. Paris: Saillant et Nyon, 1761. 

Miller, Mark E. Big Nose George: His Troublesome Trail. Glendo: High Plains Press, 2022. 

Portilla, Miguel Leon. Aztec Thought and Culture: A Study of the Nahuatl Mind. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988. 

Rosenbloom, Megan. “A Book by Its Cover.” Lapham’s Quarterly. October 19, 2016. https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/book-its-cover

Ruysch, Frederik. Frederik Ruysch and His Thesaurus Anatomicus: A Morbid Guide. United Kingdom: MIT Press, 2022.

Schechter, Harold. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho. New York: Gallery Books, 1998.

Thompson, L S. “Tanned Human Skin.” Bulletin of the Medical Library Association vol. 34,2 (1946): 93-102.

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.

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If you have any requests or questions, or simply feel like saying hello, drop us a line at ⁠[email protected]⁠ and/or follow us on social media:Instagram: @history_unhemmedFacebook: History Unhemmed  Thank you! <3

RESOURCES: 

Bethencourt, Francisco. The Inquisition: A Global History 1478-1834. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Chico, Beverly (3 October 2013). "The Dunce Cap". Hats and Headwear around the World: A Cultural Encyclopaedia.

Fenley, Laura. Confraternal Mercy and Federico Barocci’s Madonna Del Popolo: An Iconographic Study. Master of Arts Thesis. College of Fine Arts.

Jorgensen, Jay. Creating the Illusion: A Fashionable History of Hollywood Costume Designers. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2015.

Kamen, Henry. The Spanish Inquisition: a historical revision. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.

Kinney, Alison. “How the Klan Got Its Hood.” The New Republic. January 8, 2016. https://newrepublic.com/article/127242/klan-got-hood

Lubrich, Naomi. “The Wandering Hat: Iterations of the Medieval Jewish Pointed Cap.” Jewish History 29, no. 3/4 (2015): 203–44.

Parsons, Elaine Frantz. Midnight Rangers: Costume and Performance in the Reconstruction-Era Ku Klux Klan.

Sherman, Irwin W. The Power of Plagues. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2020.

Stokes, Melvyn. D.W. Griffith’s the Birth of a Nation: The History of the Most Controversial Picture of All Time. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Straus, Raphael. “The ‘Jewish Hat’ as an Aspect of Social History.” Jewish Social Studies 4, no. 1 (1942): 59–72.

The Klanwatch Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Ku Klux Klan: A History of Racism and Violence.  Montgomery, AL: The Southern Poverty Law Center, 2011.