Dressed to Bind: Beauty, Status, and Bound Feet

In this episode of Dressed for the Grave, we unravel the long history of footbinding, from its rumored origins in the imperial courts of the Song Dynasty to its deep ties to beauty, marriage, honor, status, and survival. We also explore the roles of Empress Dowager Cixi and reformer Kang Youwei, alongside the cultural and economic forces that allowed the practice to persist for nearly a thousand years. You can find the related article here on Substack Please check us out on Instagram and TikTok.