Eleanor Medhurst
Eleanor Medhurst | |
|---|---|
Medhurst speaking during a lecture at SOAS, University of London in 2024. | |
| Born | 24 April 1997 |
| Other names | Ellie Medhurst |
| Alma mater | |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Spouse | Lilith Dillon-Parkin |
| Website | dressingdykes |
Eleanor Medhurst (born 24 April 1997) is a fashion historian from Brighton. Her debut book Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion was released in 2024.
Early life and education
Medhurst is from Brighton.[1] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fashion and Dress History in 2019 and a Master of Arts (MA) in the History of Design and Material Culture in 2021, both from the University of Brighton.[2][3] She received a Yarwood Grant from the Costume Society for the latter.[4]
Career
During her studies, Medhurst worked at the Brighton Museum, contributing to the 2018 Queer Looks display and Queer the Pier.[5][6] She also had a column in Polyester Zine[7] and started uploading videos online.[8] After completing her MA, Medhurst started the blog Dressing Dykes, saying she "wanted to make this research accessible".[9]
In October 2023,[10] Hurst Publishers acquired the rights to publish Medhurst's debut book Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion in June 2024.[11][12] The book's 18 chapters are each dedicated to specific communities, figures and time periods while also examining the hidden nature of specifically lesbian fashion history.[13][14] Medhurst described lesbian fashion history as a "patchwork of examples".[15] In 2025 Unsuitable was longlisted for the Bread and Roses Award,[16] as well as for the Polari Prize for LGBTQ+ writers in the First Book category.[17] Medhurst was one of several authors to withdraw her book from the Polari Prize to protest the inclusion of John Boyne over his anti-transgender views.[18]
Bibliography
- Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion (2024)
References
- ^ Beale, Madison (31 May 2024). "Violets and Velvet: Lesbian Art and Fashion History with Dress Historian Eleanor Medhurst". The Artalogue. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Miller, Kate (13 May 2019). "Graduate Show 2019: Eleanor Medhurst: Fashion and Dress History". University of Brighton. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Volpert, Megan (28 May 2024). "This Lesbian Fashion History Is a Perfectly Tailored Fit". PopMatters. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ "Eleanor Medhurst, Yarwood Grant winner 2020". The Costume Society. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Lutyens, Dominic (5 July 2018). "A queer eye for style, identity and activism". BBC News. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Atkinson, Harriet (21 February 2018). "Working with Queer Looks". University of Brighton. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Afthab, Zara (27 November 2021). "Pretty In Pink: Unravelling Lesbian Fashion History with Dressing Dykes". Grazia. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Oram, Sonny (14 June 2019). "Style Profile: Ellie Medhurst, Reclaiming Pink". Qwear. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ "Pills of lesbian fashion history. Eleanor Medhurst on diversity and Dressing Dykes". Lampoon. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Fraser, Katie (16 October 2023). "Hurst scoops history of lesbian fashion from historian Medhurst". The Bookseller. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Tejada, Gabe. "Review of Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion by Eleanor Medhurst". Sinister Wisdom. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Hares, Chelsie (18 August 2025). "Eleanor Medhurst, Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion". Costume. 59 (2). Edinburgh University Press: 287–288. doi:10.3366/cost.2025.0352. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ Jackson, Hannah (21 June 2024). "Unsuitable Traces the Lost History of Lesbian Fashion". Vogue. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Cramer, Lorinda (8 January 2025). "From tuxedos to tattoos, Eleanor Medhurst's Unsuitable traces a hidden history of lesbian fashion". The Conversation. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ Potts, Clara (4 November 2024). "Fashioning Identity: How Eleanor Medhurst Has Awakened the Power of Style in Lesbian History". University Times. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ housmans (14 June 2025). "Bread and Roses Prize 2025 – Longlist announced!". Bread and Roses Prize. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Anderson, Porter (6 August 2025). "London's Polari Prizes Release Their 2025 Longlists". Publishing Perspectives. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ Windust, Jamie (19 August 2025). "Polari Prize paused after mass withdrawals over inclusion of anti-trans author, John Boyne". Attitude. Retrieved 19 August 2025.