We here at the Gilded Gentlemen are getting very excited for the return of HBO's The Gilded Age by Julian Fellows.

And as a special summer bonus, we are revisiting a couple of the Gilded Gentleman's classic shows to further wet your appetite and fuel anticipation.

Enjoy!

Despite the fact, things have been bought and sold for centuries or even longer,

the way it happened in this country, which led to the great American pastime of shopping,

really developed during the 19th century. And in one district

of New York, you can still see the shells of the pavilions and palaces of Gilded Age retail,

a strip, but more like a collection of blocks once known as Ladies Mile. And to take us on a very special journey into this world,

not only to see what it was like,

but to help our modern sensibilities understand what it all meant,

is my guest today, Emma Gess Consolus,

who knows this world very well.

So, put on your hat, grab your walking stick, call the carriage, and let's go shopping.

Music Hello, I'm Carl Raymond, the host of the Gilded Gentleman History podcast, which every two weeks takes a look well beyond the glitter in the gold of Gilded Age America, the bellipuck of France,

and of late Victorian Anne Edwardian London. I'm glad you've joined me today for a look beyond

not just the velvet ropes, but beyond the swinging and revolving doors

into the world of Gilded Age shopping.

Shopping in these grand palaces gave women, and not just those with unlimited purses,

but even those with more modest incomes, a new sense of freedom and choice, and most importantly, power that they never had before.

It's a fascinating story of just how we got there, and most importantly, how shopping in

Gilded Age New York influenced what we all do even today, and you might be surprised. And so joining me today is a

dear friend and colleague Emma Gess Consolis. Emma is a PhD art historian and one of the best

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