“Polaire,” as she went by on stage, was a French actress and singer famously dubbed “The Ugliest Woman in the World.” Whether she was deserving of this title is debatable but Polaire assumed it proudly, considering beauty an obstacle to success and remarking that “to be the most perfect monster is as fine a perfection as any other.” She was also a highly fashionable trendsetter, spearheading new and unusual styles with her nose ring, bob-cut, feet bracelets, and record 14-inch corseted waist. Read more about it!

The information in this guide focuses on primary source materials found in the digitized historic newspapers from the digital collection Chronicling America.

The timeline below highlights important dates related to this topic and a section of this guide provides some suggested search strategies for further research in the collection.