Fashion and folly | Alice Loxton on the world of the Georgians

In episode five of the World of the Georgians, Alice Loxton explores Georgian fashion, celebrity and excess – and how caricature delighted in cutting vanity down to size

Published: February 2, 2026 at 9:05 AM

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In Georgian Britain, clothing was never just about style – it was a public performance of wealth, status and ambition.

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In this episode, Alice Loxton examines the extravagant fashions of the 18th century, from towering wigs and vast hoop skirts to the scandalously sheer dresses of the Regency era. She also explores early celebrity culture through figures such as opera singer Elizabeth Billington, whose fame made her a magnet for gossip and, of course, satire.

Want more from Alice? Find more episodes of the World of the Georgians.

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Alice Loxton is a historian, presenter and Sunday Times bestselling author with over three million followers on social media.

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