Are We Living Through a New Gilded Age?

Will Kris Jenner's birthday party be immortalized on an HBO show in a hundred years? Maybe. The Gilded Age was America’s first era of extreme wealth, inequality, and loud luxury, spanning 1870 to 1900. On this episode of the Back Row podcast, which explains how fashion and culture really work, Amy talks to Gilded Age historian and author Elizabeth Block about how shockingly closely society and fashion today mirror the wealthy and luxury industries during that time period. Elizabeth is the author of the upcoming book Gilded Age Fashion: More Than 50 Iconic Looks and the Stories Behind Them. Their conversation breaks down how Kris Jenner's birthday feels straight out of the late 1880s; how sky-high luxury fashion prices are basically the same as they were back then; the most extreme luxuries of the past and present; and Vogue's Gilded Age origins. Listen to Part 2 for Elizabeth’s take on what life was like for the have-nots during the period — and why she sees parallels between Taylor Swift’s wedding and the Gilded Age. Part 2 is available to Back Row Premium subscribers. Sign up at BackRow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Introducing Dr. Elizabeth Block 01:20 — Are We Living in a New Gilded Age? 03:20 — The Gilded Age Weddings 07:40 — Kris Jenner’s Birthday Party: Gilded Age-Coded? 11:00 — How Much Did Socialites Spend on Dresses? Then vs. Now 16:30 — Gossip Columns: What Were the Faux Pas? 20:30 — Etiquette Books and the Rules of Modesty 26:20 — Vogue’s Gilded Age Origins Links & Resources: Back Row Newsletter Amy Odell — Instagram Elizabeth Block — Instagram Newsletter: Gilded Age Fashion Books: Gilded Age Fashion: More Than 50 Iconic Looks and the Stories Behind Them Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Joyce Ciesil and Jonathan Voytko. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices