Class Description
This two-day seminar explores how fashion and clothing functioned as powerful political symbols during the American Revolution and the French Revolution. Clothing in the late 18th century was far more than a matter of personal taste or passing fashion; it served as a visible language of politics, identity, and ideology. In British North America, colonists embraced homespun garments as a deliberate rejection of costly British imports and a declaration of patriotic virtue. Across the Atlantic, French revolutionaries criticized the opulence of the ancient régime and adopted simpler styles that signaled equality and republican citizenship. Together, we will analyze how specific garments, from homespun cloth to sans-culottes and liberty caps, became tools of political expression at moments of profound political crisis and revolution. Ultimately, this seminar examines how fashion both reflected and shaped broader struggles over class, gender, and power during an age of revolutionary transformation.
All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.
A cultural historian and lecturer, Emilie M. Brinkman holds a Ph.D. in European history from Purdue University. She specializes in the history of British politics, queenship, fashion, and popular culture.
What to Expect
Format: Virtual
Class Capacity: 25
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Recommended
- Instructor-Distributed Materials
- T.H. Breen, "Baubles of Britain"
- Selections from Marie Antoinette: Writings on the Body of a Queen, edited by Dena Goodman
First Assignment
- Read T.H. Breen's "Baubles of Britain."
A Brief Syllabus
- Fashion, Protest, and Political Identity in the American Revolution
- Radical Dress and Political Symbolism in the French Revolution
Cost and Registration
2 Sessions, $125 ($112.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($125), Community Supported ($115), and Sponsor ($135).Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.
RegisterThe views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.
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