031: The End of Empire

on clothes, world wars, losing my sh*t, & reading Jane Gardam

It is considered usual that anyone in great solitude of mind for many years will run mad.

Jane Gardam, from Crusoe’s Daughter

Today we’re going to talk about going crazy, but we are going to make sure we are dressed really well for the occasion. Just letting you know.

In 19th and 20th century British novels, there is a whole subset of plots about impoverished nobility who must remake old clothes to keep up appearances to make ends meet. When these books were written, I am guessing the readers might have felt sympathy about descriptions of cutting down Edwardian great coats and repurposing hunting tweeds, but the language of tailoring, haberdashery, textiles, and dressmaking always sound like luxury. Words like moire, faille, silk, muslin, and even worsted serge always fill me with fabric lust. Give me covered buttons and shirred cotton and fitted bodices, give me lace slips and patterned morning dresses. Give me corsets and “regencycore” brought back by Bridgerton. Take my library, do …