Silk moire bonnet, c. 1845
Bonnet c. 1845 2008.5.32 Museum Purchase During the 1840s, headcoverings were an essential part of every women's wardrobe. Inside the home, women often wore delicate, lacy caps which covered the hair and tied under the chin. When venturing out into the... Read Article ››

Silver paper headdress, c. 1860
Anyone interested in the history of fashion quickly realizes that fashion is a series of cyclical repetitions. Contemporary silhouettes, colors and design details reference recent and historic styles, often with only slight modifications to bring a garment... Read Article ››

Irene Castle dancing cap
Between 1911 and 1917, Irene and Vernon Castle were at the forefront of a "craze" for social dancing. Usually called "modern dance" at the time, social dance was promoted as form of healthy and enjoyable recreation. Accompanied by lively... Read Article ››

Hand painted silk ensemble, c. 1925
Child's "Dainty Blossom" Ensemble Daisy Stanford Hand-painted silk c. 1925 Museum Purchase 2003.5.24A-C Hand-painted novelties, including dresses, scarves and ribbons, enjoyed a burst of popularity in the teens and twenties. A Paris fashion... Read Article ››

Day ensemble, 1894-1895
In 2006, the FIDM Museum received a large donation of garments and accessories spanning almost 100 years of fashion history. With garments dating from about 1850 to the late 1940s, the objects in this donation provide a window into the evolution of... Read Article ››

1920s cloche
Some of you are probably wondering why we didn't discuss the close-fitting cloche hat featured in our most recent post, 1920s silhouette. Given its iconic status as the IT hat of the 1920s, we thought the cloche deserved its own entry. Though the term... Read Article ››

Fashion and feathers
Today, hats are worn primarily on celebratory or festive occasions, but in the 19th century, hats and bonnets were an essential element of every woman's wardrobe. Beginning in the 1890s and continuing until about 1915, many hats were extremely large... Read Article ››
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