Clothed in Dissent: Dressing for feminist protest at the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, 1981-2000

This research project centres on the use of dress and textile works to fight for world peace and women's rights at the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp (GCWPC), based near Newbury in West Berkshire from 1981 to 2000. Drawing on the oral and written testimonies of Greenham women such as Ann Pettitt, Juley Howard, Barbara Harford and Lynette Edwell, my research will add new insight about the ways in which dress and appearance can shape how protesters were appraised in contemporary popular press, how it influenced the reach of the camp's arguments and created a sense of community among women. To research this key theme of dress as creator of community and promoter of political views, I draw on the field of sociology and social theory of dress including the works of Sophie Woodward (2005), Joanne Entwistle (2015) and Andreas Huyssen (2000). I will assess the role of the GCWPC participants' dress choices by comparing them to those of other British protest movements of the twentieth century including the Suffragettes (1903-1918) and the Women's Liberation Movement (1960s-1980s) which intersects with Greenham. This research uses an object-led approach to critically assess the role of garments in conveying a political message during key historical moments. Analysis of extant garments will allow for an understanding of the making of and subsequent use and conservation of protest garments. Oral history will be incorporated to add first-person narration and to better understand questions of identity, community, and groupthink in protest movements.