{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Fashion Roundtable Book Club - Eleanor Houghton, author of 'Charlotte Bront\u00eb\u2019s Life Through Clothes\u2019","description":"Today, Meg Pirie was joined by Eleanor Houghton an historian, writer, and illustrator specialising in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century dress, literature, and material culture. Eleanor has an interesting career trajectory, after reading English at Oxford, Eleanor went on to become a couture milliner, specialising in archival research. Eleanor holds a doctorate in History and is an historical costume consultant for film and television productions such as Emily and Gentleman Jack. Eleanor is the author and illustrator of \u2018Charlotte Bront\u00eb\u2019s Life Through Clothes\u2019, based on nine years of research into Charlotte Bront\u00eb\u2019s surviving wardrobe. In this live session, Eleanor argues that garments are primary sources that record Bront\u00eb\u2019s daily life, emotions, and identity, rather than just curiosities. In fact Charlotte Bront\u00eb\u2019s very clothes challenge the preexisting stereotypes of Charlotte as a \u201cdrab, sexless, saint-like\u201d figure. From her corset, which is examined as a \u201cshield\u201d from criticism and an example of \u201chyper-femininity\u201d used to navigate societal body ideals and class status, to the Industrial Revolution and resourcefulness during that time, these 150 items bore witness to Charlotte\u2019s incredible, and at times, very complex life. To find out more about Eleanor and her work, you can check out her website, Linked In, and instagram also! Buy the book here ","author_name":"Front Row to Front Bench","author_url":"http:\/\/frontrowtofrontbench.libsyn.com\/website","html":"