Vacation for Fashion Geeks

This week I’ve been on a busman’s holiday, helping an author prepare videos to accompany a book we’re publishing early next year. The venue: Iowa State University’s Textiles and  Clothing Museum. The climate-controlled storage facility houses more than 10,000 objects. I was mesmerized: see photos below.

Items too delicate to hang are stored flat.

This coat, ca. 1725, is made of silk brocade, with wooden toggle buttons. It was worn during the daytime.

An eveningwear men’s coat of velvet with gold brocade, ca. 1745

Less fragile pieces are carefully stored on special hangers. Each piece is carefully cataloged, just like a library. Note the girl scout uniform, lower left. Everything has historical value! An accompanying conservation laboratory has special ventilation to reduce dust and dirt, and includes technical equipment like microscopes for fiber analysis.