“Graceful and expressive’: The movement for Artistic dress” Tuesday 17th March at 7.30 pm on zoom lecture by Dr Claire Allen-Johnstone

“How is lovely woman to clothe herself?” asked a Sketch journalist in 1894, conscious of the lively Victorian dress debate. Advocated by individuals including Healthy and Artistic Dress Union members George Frederic and Mary Watts and, in the United States, Annie Jenness Miller, flowing Artistic dress often based on historical models was one of the proposed answers. This lecture will explore the origin, development, and legacy of this multilayered dress reform movement, from its connection with the Pre-Raphaelites to its relationship with topics including feminism and historicism.

Dr Claire Allen-Johnstone works at the Victoria and Albert Museum as an Assistant Curator. She is a Trustee at the Museum of Cambridge and Newsletter Editor for the Dress and Textile Specialists network. Her monograph Dress, Feminism, and New Woman Writing was published by Cambria Press in 2025.Later to develop into Aesthetic dress this talk explores the origin, development, and legacy of the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union dress reform movement attracted members like George Frederic and Mary Watts and, in the United States, Annie Jenness Mille. Flowing Artistic dress was often based on historical models from its connection with the Pre-Raphaelites to its relationship with topics including feminism and historicism.

Book online at:  https://webcollect.org.uk/acms

Or apply for tickets to chairman@artsandcraftsmovementinsurrey.org.uk