Historic Dress and Textiles Collections

What do we have?

Embroideries from the 17th century and dress and accessories from the 18th century onwards. Women's late 19th and 20th century clothes are particularly well represented, as are wedding dresses, many of which are displayed at the Red House Museum.

Women's late 19th and 20th century clothes are particularly well represented as are christening gowns, patchwork quilts, samplers, smocks and fashion plates. Textiles explore the range of fabrics and designs and methods of decoration for both clothing and domestic furnishings.

Featured objects

• Sack-back polonaise gown and petticoat c1770-75
• Beetle-Wing Tea-Cosy

We are showing a range of 20th century textiles and dress in displays across Hampshire during 2009. A magnificent Heywood Sumner tapestry 'The Chace' 1908 (banner image) and Justine Randall's tapestry 'Soft Armour' 1993 will be showing in our Hampshire Treasures exhibition at the Willis Museum, Basingstoke. The community engagement project Dressed 2 Express looking at the development of teenage youth culture and fashions since the 1950s continues its tour, and a 1970s exhibition with fashions from the period is also currently in circulation. New for summer 2009 are displays of sporting dress 1930s-1970s at Milestones and a gallery of Edwardian and interwar fashions at the Red House Museum, Christchurch.

Local treasures include a raised work embroidery raised work embroidery of c1660 depicting Basing House, Jane Austen's silk pelisse dress of c1814, and clothing of the Empress Eugenie.

• NEW - Boot and shoes collections
• The earliest authentic historic dresses
• Centenary celebration of the publication of Herbert Druitt's Costume on Brasses 1906-2006
• Bags collection online
• Visiting Card Cases collection online
• Fans collection online

The textiles collection numbers many small embroideries including a Jacobite needle purse of c1715 and samplers including the Fanny Adams sampler commemorating the death of a small child in Alton.

Why do we have costume and textile collections?

• To use in displays and exhibitions interpreting historic themes, and exploring past lifestyles, demonstrating skills and interests
• To provide evidence of what was worn, made and used locally
• As a reference resource for costume designers and interpreters, students of dressmaking, quilting, embroidery, and art history

If you have an item or group of items you would like to donate or receive information about, or photographs you would like dated from the costume, please send details to the Senior Keeper at Hampshire Museums and Archives Service, Chilcomb House, Bar End, Winchester, SO23 8RD. tel 01962 826700, fax 01962 869836