Eleanor Medhurst Photo: Supplied
From Sappho, to Sweden’s Queen and the Suffragettes, Unsuitable is the first book of its kind, spanning centuries and continents, uncovering the often hidden history of lesbian fashion.
The way we dress and how we choose to express ourselves can both expose or hide ourselves. It creates community and sends messages to others about who we are. Yet lesbian fashion has often been overlooked or only given a mention. Eleanor Medhurst sets out to find out what’s missing about the culture and status of queer women.
Unsuitable is divided into five parts with 18 chapters. Starting with the influence of Sapphos, born around 630 BC, we then hear the stories of Sweden’s Queen Christina in the 17th century, and British aristocracy through the life of Anne Lister. Then there are the Suffragettes, Trans Lesbians in Weimar Berlin, Paris Modernism, and later the Harlem Renaissance in New York. More recently there has been the impact of slogan t-shirts. Throughout history, lesiban fashion has been inextricably linked with politics, societal pressures, culture and geography.
Unsuitable - Anne Lister Photo: Supplied
Unsuitable - Queen Christina of Sweden Photo: Supplied
One aspect seen across all periods and countries is the close relationship between fashion, identity and safety. Those who were born into power, wealth or a higher social standing like Queen Christina, Anne Lister or artists and performers like Gladys Bentley and drag king Stormé DeLarverie, were afforded more security and concessions in the way they presented themselves to the world.
Medhurst also acknowledges intersectionality within lesbian fashion. While trends have mostly been suited to predominantly white lesbians or queer people, she discusses the importance of Black lesbianism and even prejudices that still occur today.
The book is both an exploration of history and pays homage to those who have left their mark, acting as symbols and figures to which other queer women could see and feel seen. While the details and stories are vast and comprehensive it also feels like just the beginning.
Unsuitable - LSE - Gay Liberation Front Photo: Supplied
In her introduction to the book, Medhurst acknowledges the limited geographical scope of the research. Born and raised in the UK and speaking only English, with restricted resources and no funding, the writer says there’s much more to explore and share in the world of lesbian fashion. She hopes to work on a more global study in the future.
Medhurst also writes the blog Dressing Dykes. She’s built up a social media following with more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and has worked on Brighton Museum’s exhibitions Queer Looks and Queer the Pier. She spoke to Culture 101’s Perlina Lau.
