What is Sighs & Whispers?
Sighs & Whispers is a weekly newsletter from Laura McLaws Helms. I am a fashion/cultural historian, researcher and writer based in New York.
With a particular interest in fashion, culture, women’s issues, design and magazines in the twentieth century, my work delves into all of these areas and illuminates their intersections. I have acted as an exhibition curator and design consultant to stylists, editors and designers within the film, advertising and fashion industries. Amongst my previous work, I curated an exhibition, Thea Porter: 70s Bohemian Chic, at the Fashion & Textile Museum in London (2015), and wrote an accompanying monograph, Thea Porter: Bohemian Chic, published by V & A Publications.
Why Sighs & Whispers?
In 2006 I started a fashion and cultural history blog called Sighs & Whispers, which was really my first small step into becoming a historian—it was named after the lingerie catalogue Guy Bourdin photographed for Bloomingdale's in 1976.
Sigh & Whispers, the newsletter is a place for me to discuss and work through ideas and research for larger projects (books, academic articles, etc.) A place to share and explore interesting subjects that have come to light while researching that don’t necessarily fit within the larger projects. A place to interview and talk with creatives—those outside the age range I converse with on my Sighs & Whispers podcast (formerly Lady's After Hours)—about their processes and projects. And a place that will maybe eventually offset some of the vagaries and stresses of the freelance life through paid subscriptions, which would also enable me to do more research and share more knowledge with you. Within this newsletter I discuss fashion, art, photography, film, architecture, interior design, food, magazines, fitness, women’s issues—the intersecting mess of culture, society and history that deeply stimulates me and that impacts all aspects of our life today.
You can listen to my podcast and learn more about the episodes here (or listen on Apple and Spotify.) You can learn more about my work here.
Hire Me
I’m available for historical, photo, and video research; brand heritage strategy; fact-checking; writing; and curatorial projects. Contact me to discuss rates and availability.
