Eleanor Medhurst Is Bringing Lesbian Fashion History Into The Spotlight

When Eleanor Medhurst was pursuing a degree in fashion history at the University of Brighton in the late 2010s, conversations about the evolution of lesbian fashion were few and far between. Years later, amid the uncertainty of the pandemic in 2020, she decided to dig into the often-overlooked subject herself. The result was Dressing Dykes, a platform devoted to exploring and preserving the history of queer style.

“You’re not taught about it in schools, and it’s a history that can be quite difficult to learn about,” she tells TZR on a recent call. Even now, paywalls can make accessing that information a challenge. As such, ensuring people can access the history of lesbian fashion is central to Medhurst’s work. “I started it on social media, and it really took off. It had a really positive response,” she says of the platform.

Dressing Dykes often explores the subtle lesbian codes and symbols that have been incorporated into fashion as a way to communicate within the community. “In the early 20th century, for instance, a ring worn on the pinky finger was popular among working-class women [and could signal a woman’s sexual orientation],” Medhurst explains. “By the late 20th century, however, more overt symbols began appearing, such as the double-headed axe,” she adds. Also known as the labrys, the symbol was associated with Amazonian warrior women and was often used in feminist circles.

Medhurst is often asked about lesbian-coded fashion becoming widely adopted, such as Dr. Martens shoes. “I think that speaks to how much creativity there is within queer fashion,” she shares. “And even when things become mainstream and lose some of their original queer meanings, there are always new symbols springing up as well.” Indeed, new codes continue to emerge and spread online, Medhurst notes, pointing to the carabiner as one example.

Social media plays a key role in that process, Medhurst says. “You’re looking at videos and photos, so you’re able to see that fashion language in action and then learn from it,” she explains. “I think everything moves at a much faster pace than it would have 100 years ago, when modes of communication were so different.”

In 2024, Medhurst broadened the scope of Dressing Dykes by writing a book, Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion. “There are 18 chapters, each exploring a different facet of lesbian fashion, whether that’s a specific time period, person, or community,” she shares. While researching the book, Medhurst especially enjoyed diving into topics like Sappho in Ancient Greece — a famous ancient queer poet — to more contemporary chapters of queer history.

According to Medhurst, Unsuitable has struck a chord with a wide audience. Medhurst believes part of its appeal lies in its subject matter: clothing is something nearly everyone can relate to. “Readers have been able to really resonate and connect with these historical topics because it feels real and personal, and it’s all through the lens of clothes and fashion,” the author reflects.

The latest step in Medhurst’s career? A PhD at the University of Brighton. “I’m looking at lesbian textile craft, so there’s an overlap with fashion there with products like knitwear,” she says. Specifically, Medhurst is studying how textile crafts in Britain from the 1960s through 2000 helped shape and strengthen lesbian communities. “It’s nice to be focusing on something a bit newer,” she shares.

Somehow, Medhurst also finds time to lecture. “That’s something I almost fell into through my online work and being asked to give talks,” she says. “There were a lot of online talks because of Covid, and it was really lovely, actually, to be able to engage with people who might be on the other side of the world.” Since then, she has delivered lectures everywhere from London’s Tate Modern to the University of Oxford, as well as at public libraries. The subjects run the gamut, from a general overview of lesbian fashion history to hidden queer histories and the ways queer culture has shaped the mainstream.‌

One niche piece of history that often surprises people? In the 1920s, British Vogue was run by a lesbian couple — editor-in-chief Dorothy Todd and fashion editor Madge Garland — who brought visibility to LGBTQ communities while transforming the magazine’s fashion, literature, and arts coverage. “That’s a really interesting story, and I kind of compare that with more mainstream things like drag culture,” Medhurst explains. “Many people have heard of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but they might not know the earlier origins of drag culture in New York in the 20th century.”

As for what’s next for Medhurst? “Something that I would love to do in the future is collaborative projects with other researchers, especially looking at lesbian fashion on a more global scale with researchers from different parts of the world,” she shares. With so many stories still left to uncover, another book may well be in her future.