| Description |
The purpose of this project was two-fold: to research and apply the methods and procedures involved in maintaining the women's clothing collection at the University of Utah Museum of Fine Arts, and to explore the connections between fashion and society using specific gowns from the collection. The first section, Museum Practicalities, describes both the ideal and the realistic procedures used by museums in maintaining a clothing collection. It also details the temporary labeling system and descriptive inventory I created for the museum's collection. The second section, Costume Conceptualities, focuses on six gowns which represent the major fashion changes from c. 1885 to c. 1925. A detailed description of each gown is followed by a general explanation of how society progressed during those years. The gowns' styles are then related to societal attitudes and events, with an emphasis placed on women and their evolving status. While fashion and society generally develop together, fashion does not always reflect society's more subtle complexities. Rather than being an innovative leading force, fashion tends to follow more slowly, often lagging behind the times. |
