
- 192 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Queen Alexandra used clothes to fashion images of herself as a wife, a mother and a royal: a woman who both led Britain alongside her husband Edward VII and lived her life through fashion. Inside the Royal Wardrobe overturns the popular portrait of a vapid and neglected queen, examining the surviving garments of Alexandra, Princess of Wales – who later became Queen Consort – to unlock a rich tapestry of royal dress and society in the second half of the 19th century. More than 130 extraordinary garments from Alexandra's wardrobe survive, from sumptuous court dress and politicised fancy dress to mourning attire and elegant coronation gowns, and can be found in various collections around the world, from London, Oslo and Denmark to New York, Toronto and Tokyo. Curator and fashion scholar Kate Strasdin places these garments at the heart of this in-depth study, examining their relationships to issues such as body politics, power, celebrity, social identity and performance, and interpreting Alexandra's world from the objects out. Adopting an object-based methodology, the book features a range of original sources from letters, travel journals and newspaper editorials, to wardrobe accounts, memoirs, tailors' ledgers and business records. Revealing a shrewd and socially aware woman attuned to the popular power of royal dress, the work will appeal to students and scholars of costume, fashion and dress history, as well as of material culture and 19th century history.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- LIST OF PLATES
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- Chapter 1: MANAGING THE ROYAL WARDROBE
- Chapter 2: ENGAGEMENT AND MARRIAGE
- Chapter 3: EVENING AND COURT DRESS
- Chapter 4: THE TRAVELLING PRINCESS: THE LOGISTICS OF ROYAL TRAVEL
- Chapter 5: FANCY DRESS
- Chapter 6: TAILOR-MADE FOR A QUEEN
- Chapter 7: MOURNING DRESS
- Chapter 8; THE CORONATION GOWN
- Chapter 9: DISPERSAL OF A ROYAL WARDROBE
- CONCLUSION
- NOTES
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
- INDEX