Review: ‘The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes’ by Kate Strasdin

A captivating non-fiction book, which drew my attention on Twitter long before it hit the bookstores. Written by Kate Strasdin, a dress historian at Falmouth University, and subtitled ‘Secrets from a Victorian Woman’s Wardrobe’, it traces the history of Mrs Anne Sykes, the mid-19th-century daughter of a mill owner, through the medium of her silk-covered dress diary, filled with hundreds of fabric swatches. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes is a superb exploration of countless ordinary women, whose lives, until now, have been hidden. I highly recommend it (£22, Chatto & Windus).