Bylines

Einav Rabinovitch-Fox

Women clad in 1950s era bikinis.

Common Threads: The Origins of the Scandalous Bikini

Like the atomic bomb testing site, the new bathing suit was named “le bikini,” and its impact was almost as explosive.
Hazel Fellows sewing an Apollo A7L spacesuit at International Latex Corporation

Common Threads: From Playtex to Prada — NASA’s Surprising Spacesuit Collaborations

NASA recently announced a partnership with a couture designer, but in the 1960s, the first spacesuits were made by a company known for bras and girdles.
A 1923 General Electric advertisement of a women standing over a light switch.

Using Women’s Suffrage to Sell Soup and Cereal

In the 1920s, advertisers tried to convince women to exercise their political power not only at the ballot box but also in the store.
Women wearing early twentieth-century gym suits emblazoned with 1902, some women in baskets.

How Sports Clothes Became Fashion

The evolution of women's sportswear.
"Choosing the Ring" painting by Jean Carolus (1814–1897).

How Diamond Rings Became a Symbol of Love

While engagement or wedding rings are certainly not a new idea, the prevalence of diamonds is a more recent phenomenon.
Two garment workers picketing in New York City during a 1910 strike.

We've Been Fighting Fast Fashion Since the Industrial Revolution

From the Triangle Factory Fire to Shein, fast fashion can’t escape ethical quandaries.
Photo of officer candidates of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps start off their day with a calisthenics drill wearing fatigue uniforms at Fort Des Moines on Aug. 8, 1942. (AP)
partner

The Military Has Long Had Ties With The Fashion Industry

The new Army bra is the latest chapter in a longtime partnership.
A 1920s undergarment shop, in black and white.

Bringing Down the Bra

Since the 19th century, women have abandoned restrictive undergarments while pursuing social and political freedom.
Students with masks walking in a school hallway.
partner

Schools Enforce Dress Codes All the Time. So Why Not Masks?

Dress codes are about social control, not student wellbeing.