Out and about with the FIDM Museum
  FIDM Museum staff are headed to Atlanta, GA this week for the Costume Society of America National Symposium. Next week, curators Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson will present research at "The Making of a Monarchy for the Modern World"... Read Article ››

The start of summer
  The unofficial start of summer is just a few days away. In the United States, the Memorial Day holiday (always the last Monday in May) marks the beginning of the summer season. Depending on where you live, the climate may or may not cooperate. No... Read Article ››

Claire McCardell dress, 1952
  The FIDM Museum compact storage facility is filled with wonders. Charles Worth's c. 1878 reception gown, a beaded evening sheath by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Fortuny textiles and Herve Leger's mini-jumpsuit share racks and boxes with... Read Article ››

Yves Saint Laurent mini-dress, c. 1967
  Yves Saint Laurent had a talent for translating street fashion into the vocabulary of the haute couture. He demonstrated this ability early, during his brief tenure as head designer at Christian Dior. Inspired by the bohemian students, artists and... Read Article ››

Charles James jumper, 1956
  A recent New York Times article on designer children’s wear described the 1956 fashion show that launched Charles James’s line of children’s clothing. While fashion editors enjoyed cookies and sherry, James (wearing a purple tweed... Read Article ››

Black silk faille formal dress, 1894-96
  Studying period garments, fashion illustrations, reference books, and whenever possible, photographs, helps create a mental checklist against which to compare undated garments and images. Unfitted, columnar dress with elaborate... Read Article ››

Balenciaga hat, 1960
  Throughout the 1950s, etiquette dictated that women wear hats for everything but the most informal occasions. Whether running errands, meeting friends for lunch, shopping for a new frock, or attending a meeting, the hat was a necessary accessory. A... Read Article ››

Embroidered bodice, c. 1905
  Bodice Silk net with embroidery Gift of Deane Funk 87.286.1 Made from ivory silk net embroidered with an allover floral pattern, this elegant bodice gives the impression of being completely sheer. Actually, the bodice is lined with a layer of ivory... Read Article ››