Perfection

“Replete with the kind of revelatory historical anecdotes that make me so glad not merely that properly clever and learned writers such as Lincoln exist, but that those beyond academia can reap the benefits of their work.”—Megan Nolan, Daily Telegraph “Margarette Lincoln chronicles the myriad extremes that women have gone to across four centuries in pursuit of the ideal face and form (if not pancreas). It’s not pretty. Fortunately, it’s pretty fascinating.”—Joanne Kaufman, Air Mail “With dazzling intellectual acumen, this book examines the various ways in which women’s bodies have been expressed culturally. . . . A fascinating exploration of shifting beauty standards.”—Kirkus Reviews “Whiteners, rouges, chicken gloves and skin dews: this immensely readable account investigates 400 years of women’s attempts to look their best. About so much more than personal vanity, Margarette Lincoln shows how beauty culture is bound up with complex value systems and social change.”—Carol Dyhouse, author of Glamour: Women, History, Feminism “Perfection offers a thorough and holistic exploration of a subject which is often mistaken as superficial. It expertly weaves elements of the present into its investigation of the past in a way that is accessible, relatable, and highly informative. I’m sure many a curious mind will eagerly devour this.”—Bernadette Banner, fashion history YouTuber and author of Make, Sew and Mend “A fantastic book on the history of women’s pursuit of health and beauty, well written and rich with historical detail. The aesthetic swings of fashion are well contextualized within broader historical trends, such as the growing commodification of beauty and the forms of media which shape ideas and ideals.”—Joanne Entwistle, author of The Fashioned Body