"This exploration of regalia throughout the world and the ages, and the powerful figures who exemplify each style -- from the ceremonial robes of Chinese emperors to the wigs and stockings of seventeenth-century couriers to the casual college-inspired blazers and sunglasses of American politicians such as JFK -- provides a fascinating and comprehensive view of the sociological aspects of clothing. If there is truth in the saying 'tell me what you were and I'll tell you who you are,' then it is also true to add, 'I'll tell you what kind of society you live in." -- Dust jacket.
"From Cleopatra to Angela Merkel, Harriet Tubman to Eva Peron, and Empress Dowager Cixi to Joan of Arc, this book focuses on powerful women who changed the course of history across the centuries and around the globe. Leaders of military operations, activists for social change, iron-fisted rulers, or the voice of the people, these strong-willed women continue to fascinate and inspire. From the warrior Queen Nzinga and her Amazonian guards to Native American health advocate Wilma Pearl Mankiller, or from the androgynous Sultan Razia to the daring Virgin Queen Elisabeth I, these complex women engraved their names into the chronicles of history. The text--richly illustrated by portraits, photographs, and mythical scenes--recounts their stories, reframes how they have been represented and remembered, and highlights the attributes of their power. Few women leaders have gained and retained places of power throughout history. In order to overcome misogyny, archaic laws governing inheritance, and the constraints of religious fervor, the women featured here incarnate exceptional determination and strength of character. Revered and reviled in equal measure, their stories--often riveting tales of courage in the face of injustice--offer an alternate perspective on the traditional histories of courage, vision, and leadership." --Amazon.com
