This talk will examine the intersection of fashion, satirical illustration, cultural biases, and misogyny, and how these forces worked together to construct our modern stereotype of the 19th-century woman. From corsets, hoop skirts and bustles, to leg-of-mutton sleeves and elaborate braided hairdos, there was something worthy of mockery no matter where one looks within the 19th century. Come along with speaker Cassidy Hausmann-Mason to learn the truth behind the trends and consider whether our ancestors were truly so different from us, after all.

Cassidy Hausmann-Mason has nine years of historical tailoring experience and over a decade of antique collecting under her belt. She has a deep appreciation for all things textile and fashion history, and loves to uncover the stories hidden within the clothing of ages past. Cassidy is excited to share her wealth knowledge and take a critical look at the conversations around gender and clothing that were ongoing in the 19th century, and the way in which those conversations shape our modern ideas of the 19th-century woman.

The monthly Windows in Time lunchtime lectures feature well-known writers and historians and bring alive the people, values, and events that shaped our Southern Oregon heritage. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS) and Jackson County Library Services. Programs are presented in Medford (first Wednesdays) and again in Ashland (second Wednesdays). Recordings of Medford presentations are available on the JCLS Beyond YouTube channel.