Oscar Wilde on Dress: A New Discovery

In 2013, independent scholar, author and Wilde specialist, John Cooper made a surprising discovery. While researching aspects of Oscar Wilde’s famous 1882 American lecture tour, he came upon a lengthy article written and copyrighted by Wilde in 1885 on his philosophies of dress. What made this unique was that this was a significant piece of writing by Oscar, not about him, and had seemingly been forgotten or lost to history. This was a surprise to other Wilde scholars and experts in his journalistic output. This episode marks the publication of a new edition of John’s book “Oscar Wilde on Dress” that includes the original essay but also extensive background and supplemental material to put not only the essay but also Oscar’s life into perspective. Wilde was passionate about the dress reform movement in the late 19th century, literally freeing women from the constraints of a male-directed society. This fascinating essay, along with John’s commentary and additional resources, sheds new light on how Oscar thought not only about dress but about larger issues of beauty, freedom, and gender. 

For information on ordering “Oscar Wilde on Dress”, please visit https://www.oscarwildeondress.com/