A towering Mardi Gras costume of velvet, sequins, and feathers. A gypsy robe from Broadway. The Academy Award winner for best costuming from 1962. Joan Crawford's dress from The Bride Wore Red, USO performers' ensembles from World War II. Elaborate headdresses from the Chinese Opera.

Costumes create an effect that is larger than life, holding us spellbound. Often made to rigorous couterier standards to withstand many performances, costumes nevertheless do wear out, and historically many have not survived. Today there is a growing movement to preserve performance costumes and to appreciate the effort, skill, and painstakking attention to detail that go into their creation.

Our unique book-on-the-wall format give you historical information about the featured historic fashions and 72 costumes from 12 American collections.

Featured collections:

Wadsworth Atheneum
Louisana State Museum
National Museum of Roller Skating
Woodbury University Fashion Study Collection
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
San Diego Historical Society
Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection, Indiana University
University Museum, University of New Hampshire
Cosprop Exhibitions at Winterthur
Theodore Theodous Collection
Museum at FIT
Historical Costume and Textiles Collection, Ohio State University

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