Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion Adventures in Wonderland: Dressed x Dressed Fancy
Original Air Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: Cassie Zachary & April Callahan (Dressed Media)
Guests: Lucy Clayton & Dr. Benjamin Wilde (Dress Fancy podcast), Harriet Reid (V&A Museum), Professor Kira Vaclovich (Queen Mary University of London)

Main Theme

This episode is a delightful collaboration between Dressed and the UK-based Dress Fancy podcast, exploring the iconic fashion legacy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its enduring influence on clothing, cultural imagination, and high fashion. The hosts and their guests discuss how Alice, her look, and the fantastical inhabitants of Wonderland have shaped everything from Victorian children’s wear to contemporary fashion runways, across both Western and global contexts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Enduring Appeal of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

• Initial Reception (05:18):
  Dr. Benjamin Wilde outlines that Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) was not immediately popular due to Carroll being an unknown author. Over time, the book benefited from a "special flowering of children's literature" in Victorian England.
• Universal Themes and Moral Undertones (06:22):
  Wilde explains that the Victorian view of children as innocent, influenced by Locke and Rousseau, is reflected in the book’s moralizing tone, making it resonate with both children and adults.
• Cultural Imagination (07:36):
  Lucy Clayton highlights how Alice has become a fixture of "our collective imagination," with references and quotations embedded in language and culture. The current V&A exhibition "Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser" serves as a launchpad for the episode’s exploration.

2. Victorian Children’s Dress and the Character of Alice

• Boys vs. Girls (09:04):
  Dr. Wilde traces the historical progression of boys’ and girls’ clothing, noting that boys’ dress in the 19th century was about preparing them for adult male roles, often inflected with military or imperialist references (e.g., sailor suits, Little Lord Fauntleroy suits) while girls were "infantilized" and dressed in frilled frocks.
• Symbolism of the Pinafore and Pocket (11:43–14:32):
  Lucy Clayton, drawing from Professor Vaclovich’s work, discusses how Alice’s simple pinafore signified readiness for adventure—"a sense of informality and readiness for encounters with dirt"—and how her having a pocket was both practical in-story and reflective of modern debates about women’s clothing and pockets.
  • Quote: "I love that she has it. It feels almost like a kind of superpower there for her." (Lucy Clayton, 13:35–14:29)

3. Why Alice’s Story Captivates Generations

• Richness and Complexity (15:35):
  Lucy Clayton: "It’s a very rich story. It’s detailed and exploratory, and while it’s charmingly naive, it’s also pretty complex...it transports the reader so far beyond the realms of reality."
• Harriet Reid on Global Impact (16:56):
  The V&A sought to highlight Alice’s unprecedented global impact across diverse fields including fashion, art, film, and music, and how contemporary values of empowerment and curiosity, now more appreciated, permeate the story.

4. The Power of Visuals: John Tenniel’s Illustrations

• Pivotal Role of Tenniel (24:03):
  Dr. Wilde explains Tenniel’s status as a respected satirical illustrator and the lasting impact his character designs (especially Alice and the White Rabbit) have had on both readers and later artists.
• Merchandise and Popular Culture (27:27): Lucy Clayton says Alice was a "craze with her own merch" shortly after publication, with biscuit tins and board games bearing her image.

5. From Tenniel to Disney: The Evolving Alice Look

• Disney’s Influence and Mary Blair’s Art (28:35):
  Lucy Clayton notes Disney bought Tenniel’s illustration rights in 1931. Mary Blair’s concept art for the 1951 animated film, influenced by Dior’s ‘New Look’, “has defined how we all picture Alice...in her famous blue dress.”
  • Fashion Fact: The shade “Alice Blue” was popularized by Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter (30:03).
  • Unexpected Detail: The first colorized Alice dress (supervised by Tenniel) was yellow, not blue (Dr. Wilde, 30:03).

6. Iconic Fashion Re-imaginings

• Film Adaptations (30:52):
  Tim Burton’s 2010 film saw Colleen Atwood’s Oscar-winning costumes evolve as Alice’s adventures unfold. Here, the dress changes with Alice, symbolizing her transformation and emphasizing the fashion narrative.
  • Quote: "So the whole thing feels very as if someone's just gone, you know, it's Alice, but make it Fashion kind of thing." (Lucy Clayton, 32:47)
• Fashion Designers Inspired by Alice (33:07):
  Dr. Wilde cites Annie Leibovitz’s famous 2003 American Vogue editorial, featuring Helmut Lang and Tom Ford, and Vivienne Westwood’s 2015 Mad Hatter’s Tea Party tribute.

7. Mad Hatter and the Fashion Industry

• Mad Hatter’s Origins (35:47):
  Dr. Wilde explains the ‘Mad Hatter’ comes from mercury used in hat making, which caused real-life "madness." Lucy Clayton, referencing a British Medical Journal article, counters that the Mad Hatter’s symptoms in Carroll’s text don’t align clinically with mercury poisoning.
  • Memorable Exchange:
    • Wilde: "So all of this... gives rise to that expression, mad as a hatter." (35:47)
    • Clayton: "He is portrayed rather as an extravagant extrovert." (36:29)

8. Modern Interpretations and Globalization

• Tim Walker’s Pirelli Calendar (2018) (39:13):
  Dr. Wilde and Lucy Clayton discuss Walker’s shoot, where all models are Black and RuPaul plays the Queen of Hearts—a deliberate nod to diversity and representation.
  • Quote (Edward Enninful): "To see a black Alice today means children of all races can embrace the idea of diversity from a very young age..." (Lucy Clayton, 40:13)
• Alice in Japanese Fashion and Lolita Style (43:40):
  Clayton explains how Alice serves as a “kawaii” icon in Japanese street fashion (Harajuku/Lolita), with her blue dress, stockings, and apron echoing elements of the look.
  • British Museum Manga Exhibition: The white rabbit was the first image seen in the show (45:13).

9. The ‘Alice’ Band: A Fashion Legacy

• Alice Band’s Origin (45:51):
  Professor Kira Vaclovich clarifies Alice did not originally wear a blue dress or the iconic hairband; these emerged in later editions and real-life fashion circa the 1930s.
  • Quote: "It’s in Looking Glass, then, that Alice gets the Alice band. But the term itself doesn’t emerge for some time afterwards..." (Vaclovich, 45:51–48:44)

10. International Influence

• Alice as Global Style Icon (49:05):
  Vaclovich: "Alice fashion...has always been a fairly transnational affair," with references and adaptations from the U.S. to Greece to Japan, appealing both as a symbol of Britishness or, subversively, of nonconformity (Vivienne Westwood).
  • Quote: "...fashion’s love affair with Alice and her books is definitely international." (Vaclovich, 52:00)

11. Why Alice Remains a Fashion Icon

• Identity, Imagination, and Rule-Breaking (54:26):
  Zachary and Clayton reflect on the value of fantasy and disruption of norms in Wonderland—qualities compelling to children and adults alike.
• Alice as a Modern Female Role Model (58:04):
  Wilde: The story is compelling because it’s fundamentally about identity, making it richly adaptable for new generations and circumstances (e.g., pandemic mask-wearing).
  • Quote: "...one of its central themes, possibly even its most central theme, is about identity. And I think that’s just fundamental to how we conceive of dress and appearance." (Dr. Wilde, 56:25)
• Empowerment and Relatability (58:04):
  Clayton: Alice is "curious, fearless, emotionally intelligent, experimental, and forthright...not obedient or compliant or a cipher for action elsewhere." The power of her character is as important as her clothes.
  • Quote: "Of course she’s a fashion icon...because of the strength of her character rather than the strength of her clothes..." (Clayton, 59:51)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (by Speaker and Timestamp)

• Dr. Benjamin Wilde (05:18):
  "Carroll's book was not an immediate hit... but it has such a moralizing and edifying tone. You know, this is a story that changes us as we interact with it."
• Lucy Clayton (13:38):
  "They are universally unflattering, actually. I think that’s kind of the point. It’s supposed to be a sort of levelling anti-fashion garment."
• Harriet Reid (18:41):
  "There’s a reason why Alice’s outfit has become this widely adopted fancy dress costume... The books themselves have been translated over 170 times... Wonderland itself, it’s not actually mapped, it’s not actually tied to a geographical location. So it’s uniquely adaptable to different cultures."
• Lucy Clayton on Mary Blair (28:35):
  "Beneath her deceptively simple style lies enormous visual sophistication and craftsmanship in everything from color choices to composition."
• Lucy Clayton on Tim Burton's Alice (32:47):
  "So the whole thing feels very as if someone's just gone, you know, it's Alice, but make it Fashion kind of thing."
• Edward Enninful as quoted by Lucy Clayton (40:13):
  "To see a black Alice today means children of all races can embrace the idea of diversity from a very young age and also acknowledge that beauty comes in all colors."
• Professor Kira Vaclovich (45:51):
  "Key aspects of what I refer to as the Alice look are nowhere to be seen in the first publication in the book... There’s no blue. Indeed. There’s no colour at all in what is a black and white book."
• Cassie Zachary (54:26):
  "...fantasy, or this fantasy world is a universe into its own in children’s imaginations. And their imaginations see no international boundaries."
• Dr. Benjamin Wilde (56:25):
  "The story is compelling... because one of its central themes, possibly even its most central theme, is about identity. And I think that’s just fundamental to how we conceive of dress and appearance."
• Lucy Clayton (59:51):
  "I can’t help but reflect that the reason she is so compelling and timeless a figure is because perhaps there just aren't that many female role models, certainly not in children’s literature, who are truly inspiring... Of course, she’s a fashion icon. Like, how could she be anything else?"

Key Timestamps

• [02:19] – Introduction of guests and exhibition context
• [05:18] – The origins and reception of the Alice books
• [09:04] – Victorian children's clothing and Alice's look
• [13:35] – The symbolism of the pinafore and the pocket
• [15:35] – Why Alice’s story endures (universality, complexity, illustrations)
• [16:56] – Harriet Reid on the V&A exhibition and global influence
• [24:03] – John Tenniel’s pivotal illustrations and their legacy
• [28:35] – Disney's adaptation: Mary Blair, the "blue dress," and Dior influences
• [30:52] – Fashion and film: Tim Burton, Colleen Atwood, evolving costumes
• [33:07] – Alice’s wardrobe as inspiration for high fashion designers
• [35:47] – The Mad Hatter’s real-world origins and fashion industry tie-ins
• [39:13] – Tim Walker’s Pirelli Calendar and issues of diversity/representation
• [43:40] – Alice, Harajuku, and Lolita street style
• [45:51] – Professor Kira Vaclovich on the origins of the "Alice" band
• [49:05] – The global spread and reinvention of the Alice aesthetic
• [54:26] – Fantasy and rule-breaking as lasting appeals
• [56:25] – Identity in Wonderland and contemporary relevance
• [58:04] – Alice as a modern female role model and feminist icon

Conclusion

This episode reveals Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as not just a literary classic, but a launchpad for fantasy, fashion iconography, and empowering narratives that cross time and borders. From the pinafore to the Alice band, from Tenniel’s pen to the runways of Westwood and the photo shoots of Leibovitz and Walker, Alice remains endlessly remixable—a muse for anyone, anywhere, wondering “who am I today?”