Historic Clothing and Textile Collection

The Historic Clothing and Textile Collection of the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors is a study collection of over 1500 garments, accesories, and textiles which date from 1800 to 1980. It includes women's, men's, and children's clothing, hats, shoes, and jewelry as well as quilts and coverlets from the 19th century.

The oldest garment in the collection dates back to 1800 and the most recent is from the 1980's. The collection includes examples of everyday and ceremonial dress from the 19th and 20th centuries. This includes a brown printed cotton dress from the 1830s, several 19th century wedding dresses, and christening gowns. The 20th century is represented by such items as a woman's automobile duster, Edwardian dresses and skirts, 1920s flapper dresses, tailored women's suits from the 1940s, and paper dresses from the 1960s. The Collection also has examples of ready-to-wear garments from such leading American designers as Claire McCardell, Pauline Trigere, Bill Blass, and Geoffrey Beene and international designers Yves St. Laurent and Coco Chanel.

The purpose of the collection is to serve the student in instruction, research, history, and inspiration. It is a veritable library of fashion history providing examples of line, design, fabric, workmanship, and quality. The collection is housed in room 301 Dawson Hall, the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.

For more information about the collection, contact Dr. José Blanco at 706-542-4885 or email him at jblanco@uga.edu.