The proper Victorian gentleman was not seen outdoors without a hat. The top hat was required for formal day and evening wear, but by the 1870s, a gentleman could choose from a variety of styles …

Enjoy our wedding dress gallery of almost 400 photographs of 19th and 20th century brides. Use these photographs to help date your family photos or for inspiration for that perfect wedding dress for your own special day!

Unable to visit the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to experience one of the most visually dramatic exhibitions of women’s antique and vintage fashion? Try the next best thing to being there!
With …

The straw boater was the rage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Men of all classes appreciated the light, cool, comfortable qualities of the straw hat. In general, the boater was made of …

Highlighted are works dating from the mid-19th century to the late 20th century. Fashions by Charles Frederick Worth, Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jeanne Lanvin, Jeanne Paquin, Madeleine Vionnet, and Christian Dior are showcased.

Nineteenth century hand fans were fashioned in three styles — the pleated, the brise, and the cockade. The cockade hand fan was a compact circular folding fan and occupied very little space. It had two handles and opened up to 360 degrees around a central pivot, thus forming a cockade.

In the 1880s, cycling became a fad of major proportions in both the United States and Europe. The 1890s was called “The Golden Age of Bicycles.” Bicycling clubs for both men and women flourished and touring and racing were the rage.

Museum unveils the unique history of Chicago weddings through fashion. Chicago History Museum, examines wedding traditions and practices using the Museum’s extensive and diverse collection of wedding garments. Visitors will discover some of the surprising origins of common wedding traditions while viewing traditional and unexpected wedding dresses worn by Chicagoans.