Talk | Bloomsbury and the politics of dress

Join Wendy Hitchmough as she discusses this month’s theme and her book The Bloomsbury Look.

The Bloomsbury Group developed a particular ‘look’ that became synonymous with their liberal values and sexual freedoms. When they founded the Omega Workshops it became a brand. This talk establishes the context for Carrington’s cropped hair and baggy trousers. It traces the evolution of a radical Omega style of dress and decodes the political statements that the Bloomsbury look projected.

After the talk, you will be able to purchase a copy of The Bloomsbury Look and have it signed by the author.

This talk is part of our April Late event. By purchasing this talk ticket you gain free access to our Galleries, exhibitions and drop-in activities from 5-8.30pm.

Dr Wendy Hitchmough is emeritus senior lecturer at the University of Sussex where her teaching included Art History, Museum Curating and Heritage. She is the author of nine books including Vanessa Bell. The Life and Art of a Bloomsbury Radical, to be published by Yale next year, and The Bloomsbury Look (Yale 2020). Her extensive research draws on her experience of working from 2001-13 at the Bloomsbury artists’ home, Charleston in East Sussex where she was curator. Wendy moved from Charleston to Historic Royal Palaces in 2014. She was Head of Historic Buildings & Research there until 2018. She achieved Independent Research Organisation status for Historic Royal Palaces and was responsible for developing and delivering their academic research strategy. She then worked at the University of Sussex from 2018 and retired from teaching two years ago to focus on writing. Her earlier books include Arts and Crafts Gardens (V&A Publications, 2005) and C.F.A. Voysey (Phaidon Press 1995).