Top five posts of 2011–Lucile

  As 2011 comes to a close, we wanted to take a look back at our most popular blog posts of the year. For the next five days, we'll repost the top posts of the year, beginning at number five. Our fifth most popular post features London-born... Read Article ››

Johann Hummel court suit, c. 1810-14

  Since our FABULOUS! exhibition opened in September, we've featured selected exhibition highlights on our blog. As FABULOUS! closes tomorrow, this post will be our final installment in the series. Want to revisit favorite pieces from the... Read Article ››

1890s cabinet card and cape

  Cabinet card1896-1898Give of Steven Porterfield2009.897.27 Whoa! What happened to this cabinet card?!? Browsing through our collections management database, I was struck by the unusual orientation of this image, not to mention the sitter's... Read Article ››

Duck dress, c. 1930

  Day dress c. 1930 Gift of Steven Porterfield S2007.897.39 The charming idiosyncrasy of this dress always gets a smile. From a distance, it is simply a black day dress with a 1920s silhouette and bright red applied decoration. But take a closer look... Read Article ››

Judith Leiber minaudière

  Minaudière Judith Leiber 1990-92 Museum Purchase 2005.5.62A The name Judith Leiber is synonymous with small, bejeweled evening bags called minaudières. Small by design, a minaudière is meant to be carried easily in the hand, containing only a few... Read Article ››

Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo, Fall 1969

  Klimt dressGiorgio di Sant' AngeloFall 1969Gift of Eleanor Phillips Colt95.193.2 Like this patchwork evening gown, Giorgio di Sant' Angelo's (1933-89) professional background was an unconventional mix. Born in Florence, Italy, Sant'... Read Article ››

A Step Ahead of the Competition

  As we've discussed here, here and here, many of the objects in our collection are donated. Our donors are extremely generous, and we've been gifted with many wonderful pieces over the years. To round out our collections, we also purchase... Read Article ››

Quilted cloche, c. 1925

  The close-fitting cloche is the headwear most closely associated with the 1920s. Worn throughout the decade, the streamlined fit of the cloche complemented the slim lines of 1920s dress. Unlike hats of the previous decade, which often featured... Read Article ››

Corselet, 1790-98

  Corselet 1790-98 Gift of the Helen Larson Estate S2001.31.17 This late eighteenth century corselet is a bit of a puzzle. Structurally, it's akin to a corset, complete with boning throughout. Despite its similarity to a corset, the surface... Read Article ››

Pedro Rodriguez sheath dress, c. 1965

  A recent debate in the New York Times asked, Has Globalization Ruined Street Style? The question itself is premised on the belief that the combination of extensive social media networks and global clothing retailers have eliminated regional variations... Read Article ››