Dressing Dykes
Lesbian Fashion History
Dressing Dykes exists as a space for lesbian fashion histories, whether in the past, present or future.
My name is Eleanor Medhurst and I’m a dress historian and a dyke. I’m from Brighton (UK), based in Birmingham, and am temporarily living in Tokyo with my wife. I began Dressing Dykes after finishing my MA in History of Design and Material Culture at the University of Brighton. My studies, both at undergrad and postgraduate level, revolved around uncovering and analysing lesbian history through the lens of clothing. In the fields of queer history and fashion history I believe that lesbian fashion is either sidelined or completely invisible – Dressing Dykes is a space where it is prioritised.
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OTHER WRITING
A History of Lesbian Fashion (Hurst: 2024) [Forthcoming – title and release date TBC].
‘Carabiners and Violet Tattoos: the desire for nostalgia in online lesbian space’, in Queering Desire: Lesbians, Gender and Subjectivity, eds. Roisin Ryan-Flood and Amy Tooth-Murphy (Routledge: 2023) [Forthcoming]
‘Lesbian Activism and Crafted Fashion’, in Crafted with Pride: Queer Craft and Contemporary Activism in Britain, ed. Daniel Fountain (Intellect: July 2023). https://www.intellectbooks.com/crafted-with-pride
‘Lesbian Knitting: From Self-Sufficiency to Self-Representation’, TEXTILE: Cloth and Culture. 2022. <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14759756.2022.2082122>
‘Lesbian Knitting’ is accessible for free here.
Image courtesy of Tate, photography Jordan Anderson.
Dressing Dykes 