THE DRESS DIARY Secrets from a Victorian Woman's Wardrobe

Karen Cass's mellow voice and brisk cadence enliven the background, travels, and experiences of the wife of a prosperous man of industry in Victorian England. Fashion historian and museum curator Kate Strasdin unfolds the captivating life of Mrs. Anne Sykes, which is told through pieces of fabric from various items of her clothing, which she kept in an annotated scrapbook. Through her skillful facility with pacing, Cass draws listeners into the story of how Strasdin was able to piece together this particular woman's life and, by extension, the lives of other women during the height of the British Empire. Not only does this work demonstrate the attitudes and customs of the times, it also lays bare the human costs of industrialization. A fascinating listening experience. S.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]