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My, oh my, how fashion has changed
through the years!
Just look at the clothing and accessories
from the 1800s through the 1960s on display at the Museum
of Lifestyle and Fashion History. Items including hats,
bags and gloves are part of Fashion Treasures From the
Museum's Permanent Archival Collection.
"This is a special exhibition
because it really makes the point that lifestyle, war,
status, wealth and the economy influenced and almost dictated
various fashion styles," Lori J. Durante, executive
director of the museum, said. "From one decade to
the next, the styles are extremely different and absolutely
distinct. They are directly connected to major events,
such as World War I, the Great Depression of the 1930s
and World War II."
This is the first time the museum has
put on an exhibit with items from its archival collection.
More than 40 of 200 items donated are displayed on mannequins
in a decade-by-decade sequence.
Among the clothes and accessories on
display are a black 1980s silk bustle skirt and black
whale-boned bodice, a 1920s men's Stetson hat, and a 1955
Chanel handbag, inspired by military bags used by soldiers
in WWII.
"This fits part of our educational
mission," Durante said. "And it is very interesting.
It's something people, including youngsters, will really
enjoy viewing."
Target department store is sponsoring
a program geared for ages 6 to 18 that runs through the
remainder of June. Youngsters can take guided tours of
the exhibit, followed by storybook readings related to
the theme and hands-on arts and crafts. The discount fee
is $2 per child and free for teachers and chaperones.
Kids will decorate T-shirts with various
shades of red, to understand the impact of the color in
fashion history.
"It's interesting to know that there
used to be a sumptuary law, which governed the way people
would dress," Durante said. "The color red was
limited to royalty because the red dye was expensive to
make in that time. Also, during the ancient times there
was a law that prohibited peasants to wear the color red.
This color has been symbolic through time in various cultures.
"This is one of the many ideas people
will learn when they visit the museum for this exhibit,
because all in all, it's different and educational for
people of all ages."
Fashion Treasures From the Museum's Permanent
Archival Collection will run through the end of the year
at the Museum of Lifestyle and Fashion History, 322 N.E.
Second Ave. Summer hours are 125 p.m. Tuesday through
Saturday, except the fourth Saturday of each month, when
it opens at 10 a.m. for narrated bus tours. It also opens
at 10 a.m. daily in June for the children's summer program.
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