Josephine Bonaparte, Terezia Tallien, and Juliette Recamier, "had nothing to lose" when they left behind the stiff underwear cages and rigid garments that restricted women for ages. With the daring new fashion, they made a statement for individual liberty, in a heady time when universal human rights were discussed. The fashion caught on in Europe wherever fashion magazines were available. Yet these women soon returned to their clothing prisons. Two centuries passed before such free styles returned. This exploration of that period is engrossing as well as educational, giving a more full picture of how colonialism and enslavement, new wealth and exposure to new cultures, influenced fashion. With lush illustrations, printed on heavy paper. White cloth. Jacket is beautifully illustrated. W. W. Norton. 2024. Hb, Dj. NEW. $31.00