A fascinating book on how skirts and dresses led the feminist movement. I'm almost always in a dress as was my mom and we're both very much feminists so it wasn't a shock that you could do both but it's nice to have a book to back up the non pants theory.

I received this book from netgalley for an honest review.

I love a book where you get to lean something and this book did not disappoint. I have always loved fashion and dresses, but I never really dug deep into any of it. But Skirts gave me the opportunity to do that. I would have given this 5 stars, but I have to admit that the narration left a lot to be desired. I didn't really feel like narrator cared about what she was reading, so it was left to sound like someone reading one of my college engineering text books. That being said, this is a book that I would recommend to be read in physical book form.

I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book based on the title and synopsis. As of late, I have taken an interest into women’s fashion and how it has changed throughout the years. Kimberley Chrisman-Campbell’s latest, Skirts, narrated to me how women’s fashion changed throughout the eras.

Listening to this book was like listening to a textbook and I will definitely be picking up a paperback to check out the drawings that are featured throughout. I definitely recommend this read to anyone that is interested in women’s fashion.

Well y’all! Let me just say, this book was pretty dang good. And that is a shocker for me. I am not a nonfiction fan except for biographies. So, when I was sent this book for review, I just went…hmmmm. I mean, it is just a book about skirts. Since it was audible, I said…why not. And I am glad I did!

This is very well researched and I am amazed that one little change on a dress or a skirt could send the world into a tail spin. I loved learning all of this! Plus, this brought back quite a few memories from my early childhood. I never knew a lot of this while it was happening. So, I enjoyed learning and how some of these changes brought so much freedom!

The narrator, Sarah Welborn, is excellent, especially for a non fiction book. Very matter of fact and straight forward.

Need just a good book about the history of skirts…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early audio version of this book. It is a fascinating look at history - of fashion, women, and history in general. I will be purchasing a hard copy of this in the hopes it has a lot of photos!

I listened to the audiobook. The voice was nice and matched the vibes of the story but my goodness was it slow—slower than a typical narration. I don’t know if the physical copy of the book has photos inside but I think that to fully enjoy this book you should have photos or at least have google on standby to see some of the dresses.

This is not what I expected. I expected a lot more analysis of dress/ skirt styles in a wider range of aspects of life or a timeline about how culture moved from one style to the next. There wasn’t much of this. This book focused on a few iconic dresses and two skirt styles. We learned about the history of these dresses, how they affected culture, and how culture affected them. That is kind of it. There wasn’t as much talk about the intersection of fashion and politics as I hoped. The dresses the author talked about were very Western rich people fashion and I don’t remember a mention of the middle class’s fashion choices at all except that working women started wearing pants during WW2. The author really loves Coco Chanel.. so much praise and only a small mention of her work for fascism, and even that was seen more as a small setback because we learned how she quickly became popular again.

I liked this book because I enjoy fashion history. If I didn’t have a genuine interest in it, I don’t think I would have liked this book at all. If you are looking for a Eurocentric view of a few iconic dresses/ skirts in 1900s USA and European culture, you will like this book. However, if you want something that talks about fashion for the middle class around other parts of the world or fashion as a tool in politics/ religion/ etc, you will be disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB media for an audio ARC of this book.

For someone who on average does not enjoy non-fiction, Skirts was able to capture my attention. It's well researched and presented in a way that both introduces new topics and ties information to previous sections. Plus, the cover is very cute and vintage looking.

Skirts is set to be publish on September 6, 2022. Thank you to Tantor Audio, NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

This book explores female fashion trends from the 20th century with a particular focus on skirts and dresses. Each chapter highlights a different style or fad ranging from the classically inspired Delphos to the LBD to the naked dress. It also delves into topics like tennis dress codes, the “hemline war” between miniskirts and midi skirts, and social implications for women (and men) who wear skirts and dresses in the present day.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly wowed by the narration. Even so, I’m glad there is an audiobook version available. I love microhistories, but I’m an auditory learner so I understand and remember the information much better when I can hear it.

When I came across this title for ARC picks I was absolutely intrigued that anyone could fill an entire novel with information about skirts. Joke was on me, because it can happen and was quite an enjoyable read. My only critique is that it jumps around a lot and can come across as chaotic. However the wealth of information about women’s fashion was interesting. Overall I enjoyed the history lesson and think the book is for anyone who loves history. When I came across this title for ARC picks I was absolutely intrigued that anyone could fill an entire novel with information about skirts. Joke was on me, because it can happen and was quite an enjoyable read. My only critique is that it jumps around a lot and can come across as chaotic. However the wealth of information about women’s fashion was interesting. Overall I enjoyed the history lesson and think the book is for anyone who loves history.

I appreciate access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of the things I love about reading is all of the things I learn. Today I learned that studying the history of fashion is a thing! Who knew?! Probably lots of you… I think that would be such an interesting job. As someone who enjoys period novels and films, the content of this book was so intriguing. I loved learning about the origins and descriptions of the dresses that defined a period. The author not only teaches the reader about what the dresses looked like and where they came from, but also how certain dresses served as social commentary on women’s rights and gender equality. The author asks, “Are dresses doomed?” I would say “No.” Women have taken ownership of skirts and dresses. We wear them because we want to, not because we are forced to due to dress codes or societal norms. Women can wear skirts or pants or whatever we want and feel strong, powerful, beautiful, successful, intelligent, any number or things. It’s our choice.

This book got off to a slow start for me, but it turned out to be a pleasant, well-researched, informative listen. It was so interesting to learn about how fashion developments, specifically relating to skirts and dresses, have been forever indicative of societal developments, specifically relating to gender roles. I especially enjoyed the segments focusing on how the design of the wardrobe of Disney's Cinderella tied in to changes in American culture.

The narrator had a great voice and did an excellent job, adding a bit of style to the read herself. That said, I enjoyed the audio, but I couldn't help but wonder if the print version and ebook included photographs. I really hope they do. I spent a great deal of time using Google Images to look at examples of the fashions mentioned, and it made the experience so much better.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio for allowing me early access to the audiobook version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I needed pictures with this book, I kept having to stop to look up everything mentioned.

I found it interesting, but as an audiobook my mind wandered constantly. Maybe I'm just not as enthusiastic of the subject as I thought. I love wearing skirts and dresses, I love history, but this dissertation was hard for me to feel engaged with. I have no complain with the writing or subject, it's just too bad I needed the visuals.

I enjoyed the way the chapters were broken up (i.e., The Wrap-Around Dress, The Little Black Dress, The Tennis Dress, etc.) but I just didn't know enough about the names dropped to stay interested.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The audiobooks would be a great companion to either the physical or ebook. The narrator is very good and the author describes the fashions and trends very well. It stakes this is an illustrated book and the audio version definitely loses something without illustrations or photos. If the publisher included a pdf with the photos, that would warrant more stars.

I received an audiobook ARC of this book, thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me this book prior to its publication.

This nonfiction book explores the history of womenswear, specifically the skirt/dresses that have followed women from Greek and Roman times to the red carpet of the Met Gala. Overall the subject matter is enjoyable and the chapters lay out the history of each article of clothing explored nicely.

However, I wish that the author had a more defined thesis, this book is more of a surface level overview of a handful of designers and clothing styles throughout a sporadic timeline in our history. The author touches, briefly on aspects of racism, classism, sexism and the intersection of fashion and society but none of these themes are ever fully developed. The most compelling chapter in my opinion covered the history of outfits and shirts in Tennis. The chapter provided a brief overview and mentioned in 2 or 3 sentences the classist origins of the sport and the sexism of the clothing restrictions, but even when speaking on the Williams sisters fashion choices in their games, there was no deep dive on any aspect how these restrictions on women athletes impacts their lives. The facts are presented in a very underdeveloped high level "school essay" format vs a commentary and exploration of complex themes surrounding womenswear. Additionally, this book doesn't provide a full view of womenswear as it seems to omit items such as: gender nonconforming styles, the impact of womenswear on the trans community, womenswear in the drag community, and fails to explore the impact of slavery on fashion just to name a few areas where I feel the chapters were lacking.

This book was not broad enough to be considered a complete history of womenswear, or even the history of the skirt-as the history provided was selective in nature, and was not complex or well developed enough thematically to be a social commentary on womenswear. Therefore the limbo the book falls in is why I will be rating the book 3 stars.

I think the narrators voice is strong, and the overall flow of the book to be compelling and easy to read. This would be a very approachable book for someone just getting into nonfiction, or a history/fashion lover. I do think this books falls short as a feminist exploration of womenswear, but I would be interested in what this author produces in the future and hope that in future projects the author writes through a more developed thematic lens and with more inclusivity.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review Skirts.

Author: Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell
Narrator: Sarah Welborn
Published: 09/06/22
Genre: Nonfiction

Wow. This was a whole lot more in-depth than I could have imagined. I enjoyed that differing opinions were given as to what is feminine. The thought behind Hillary Clinton and her power suits, Serena Williams demanding change in tennis wear, Kamala Harris and her pant suits were discussed. Skirt lengths and styles are explained through the ages. Yes, men vocalizing their opinions on respecting women in slacks is brought up. I did not see coming, the male species crying that if women could wear slacks that they could wear, and do skirts. I seriously could have done without that part.

The narrator was okay. She had a young magazine reading voice. After a while I wanted an older friendly voice.

The story is ambitious and I think thorough. It was rather long for me. However, I would pick this for a long family car ride. It provides laughs and subtle educational chats.

DNF @15%

Nope. I barely got into this book [that I had to purchase an audiobook for - thankfully I was able to return that!!] when I realized that this was just not going to be for me. The MC is not a nice person and her whole attitude and treatment of those around her was so off-putting and angering and I just don't need that kind of stuff in my life right now.
The premise is good and I was looking forward to this, so it is disappointing for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Big thanks to the publisher @stmartinspress for providing a digital ALC via @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

👗 Synopsis: 👗

Skirts traces the shifting roles of women over the twentieth century through the era’s most iconic and influential dresses.

While the story of women’s liberation has often been framed by the growing acceptance of pants over the twentieth century, the most important and influential female fashions of the era featured skirts. Suffragists and soldiers marched in skirts; the heroines of the Civil Rights Movement took a stand in skirts. Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe revolutionized modern art and Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes in skirts. When NASA put a man on the moon, “the computer wore a skirt,” in the words of one of those "computers", mathematician Katherine G. Johnson. As women made strides towards equality in the voting booth, the workforce, and the world at large, their wardrobes evolved with them. They did not need to "wear the pants" to be powerful or progressive; the dress itself became modern as designers like Mariano Fortuny, Coco Chanel, Jean Patou, and Diane von Furstenberg redefined femininity for a new era.

👗 My Thoughts: 👗

This book was right up my alley as a history, sociology, feminism, and fashion nerd. Admittedly, I think readers need to have some background knowledge in these areas before reading this book as the author doesn't go into great detail about the historical and sociological concepts that she touches on in her journey through women's fashion, from the Victorian era to suffrage to mini skirts.

This book is written in a direct and matter-of-fact tone, which worked really well for me because the author spans a lot of information in a little over 250 pages.

I am hopeful that the finished copy will include photographs of the dresses and styles mentioned, as this would make it easier to visualize these important moments in fashion history.

4/5⭐️

Skirts wildly exceeded my expectations, I was thinking it would be a mildly diverting, but mostly boring, history of the fashion industry. I was so wrong. While it did go over quite a bit of fashion history, it was extremely interesting feminist feminist history. Before this book I didn’t realize how key a role fashion has had in the fight for womens rights. 10/10 would recommend!

Rating: 4/5⭐️
Pub day: 9-6-2022

“I’m 1971, in the wake of the midi-skirt debacle, the media coined the term “fashion feminist” to describe a woman who dresses to please herself rather than a man, who followed her own inclinations rather than the dictates of Seventh Avenue.”

Non fiction isn’t my typical genre but I really enjoyed this comprehensive look at the progression of skirts and dresses through the twentieth-century.

Here are a few fun facts that jumped out at me:

- “Pants were tacitly banned from the floor of the United States Senate until 1993.”

- The dress Marylin Monroe wore to sing happy birthday to President Kennedy was called an “illusion dress because it “created the “illusion” of nudity.”
It then gained fresh traction as the “naked dress”, thanks to an episode of Sex & the City in 1998 where Carrie wears a very skimpy slip dress on her first date with Big.

- When working out and going to the gym became more popular in the 1980s, clothing -including jeans and skirts- became tighter to show off all the hard work!

I did a combo of print and audio and while the audio is excellent I highly recommend the book so you can see the fantastic pictures within!

Thank you @stmartinspress for the #gifted advanced readers copy!

Thank you @netgalley and RB Media for the advanced listening copy!

When you pick out your clothes in the morning how do you pick out your outfit? Do you pick it out based on the events of the day? Comfort? Or do you go into the morning looking for an outfit that will make you feel powerful and confident?

The book skirts was one that caught my interest from the beginning and this book did not disappoint. This book went from the Egyptian pleating styles and Grecian dresses to Dior’s New Look and then the feminists movements who went against the midi skirt.

This book was so interesting and if you love fashion and/or history this is a book I would for sure recommend.