Posts Tagged ‘clothing’
in History, What's New
April 1, 2011
They Called it Macaroni
Extreme fashions from the 1700s were not limited to women’s dress. In mid-1700s England, the word “macaroni” described flamboyantly dressed young men who had traveled in Europe and imitated French and Italian tastes and fashions. The term “macaroni” seems to derive from the popular Italian pasta, little seen in England.
Elements of typical macaroni fashion included tightly-fitting coats, short waistcoats with huge buttons, delicate narrow shoes with oversized buckles, ruffles, lace, ribbon, and decorative trim, top-heavy wigs, tiny hats, and a variety of accessories, such as walking sticks and swords.
The macaroni reference in the popular tune, “Yankee Doodle,” poked fun at the idea that poorly dressed Yankees, or Americans, were naïve enough to believe that placing a feather in a hat was enough to be a macaroni.
Macaronis provided ample fodder for printmakers, who created dozens of humorous caricatures portraying macaronis of all descriptions.
in Multimedia, Museums, Visit & Events
March 22, 2011
Museum Hosts Free Open House March 23
Colonial Williamsburg’s DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum will hold a free open house to celebrate the new exhibition, “Fashion Accessories from Head to Toe: 1600 to 1840,” from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23.
The open house includes free admission, light refreshments and entertainment. Exhibition curator Linda Baumgarten, as well as volunteers, will be on hand to show guests the exhibit and answer questions. As a pianist plays near the atrium staircase, wine and beer will be available at a cash bar.
The exhibition, featuring apparel that turned heads for 240 years, demonstrates that fashion accessories were just as important in the distant past as they are today. Wardrobe items come out of the closet to illustrate their roles in reflecting the latest fashion trends for men and women. More than 200 fashion accessories are displayed — from hats to shoes and everything in between: stockings, handkerchiefs, shawls, gloves, purses, aprons, jewelry and watches.
Many of the objects in the exhibition are new to Colonial Williamsburg’s collections, while still others have not been on view in the past 20 years.
in Multimedia, Museums
January 26, 2011
Dive into historic clothing with a pair of new exhibits
A new pair of exhibits opens the trunks and closets of three centuries for your inspection.
Historic Threads is a brand-new online exhibit that lets you browse, sort, and zoom in on antique clothing and accessories.
Fashion Accessories From Head to Toe is a museum exhibit opening January 29 at the Colonial Williamsburg Art Museums.
October 22, 2010
Costume Design Center Open House
Come tour Colonial Williamsburg’s closet today from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Costume Design Center’s open house at 250 First St., Williamsburg.
All of our costumes are painstakingly researched — learn how historians and artisans study antique garments, period portraiture, and primary source documents to authentically recreate an 18th-century wardrobe.
Learn more about today’s open house.
Watch a video with Costume Design Center Manager Brenda Rosseau as she talks about 75 years of dressing the 18th century.
August 11, 2010
Costume Design Center Sewing Workshops
Learn the finer points of 18th-century sewing from our Costume Design Center staff Saturday, Aug. 21.
9 a.m.-1 p.m. – Martha Washington Sewing Kit Workshop. Re-create an antique sewing kit in Colonial Williamburg’s collection. You’ll decorate a case that is yours to keep. Basic sewing skills necessary. Ticket cost covers all necessary supplies, but participants may bring their own sewing implements. Not appropriate for young children. Cost is $75
Location: Bruton Heights School, Room 119
Call 1-800-HISTORY reservations
10 a.m.-noon—Patterning Garments. Create a pattern from an intact garment (antique or reproduction) and adapt it to make it wearable for the modern body. Also get basic instruction in the care and protection of the antique during the process. Not appropriate for young children. Cost is $15
Location: Bruton Heights School, Room 117
Call 1-800-HISTORY reservations
Learn about the Costume Design Center.
March 29, 2010
Costume Design Center Open House
Colonial Williamsburg’s Costume Design Center offers behind-the-scenes tours at 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays from March 25 through June 10. Guests can meet staff members and explore the building where most of Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area costumes are designed and maintained.
For more than 75 years, the Costume Design Center has outfitted Colonial Williamsburg employees, including actors in Electronic Field Trips, the African American interpretive group, Historic Area stores and products, tavern interpreters, and staff at the Raleigh Tavern Bakery.
Throughout the year, Costume Design Center staff will conduct a series of programs that delve into the reproduction of historic costumes.
Historic Triangle
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