Maine Memory Network

Historic Clothing Collection - Mid Twentieth Century

"Although, despite this focus, the featured mid twentieth century examples within this narrative are almost exclusively from the Westbrook College…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Eighteenth Century - Page 3 of 3

"… of the eighteenth century English taste for clothes suited to an active country life, fine quality English dark wool broadcloth, and skilled…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Mid to Late Nineteenth Century

"… developments made significant contributions to clothing production and fashion. Patented respectively in 1846 and 1851, chain stitch and lock…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Mourning Clothing

"… did not become widely available until the late 19th century. By that time, middle-class social propriety had consolidated mourning dress and…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Early Nineteenth Century

"Early Nineteenth Century Leavitt family coat-dress, Eastport, ca. 1830Maine Historical Society Some fashion changes are distinct and occur…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Early Twentieth Century

"Early Twentieth Century Embellished velvet and silk gown, ca. 1895Maine Historical Society Lewiston's Mary King Scrimgeour's small, but…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Northern Threads: Two centuries of dress at Maine Historical Society - Page 1 of 3

"At the time of Northern Threads physical exhibition (2022), the clothing collection was strongest in middle and upper-middle class womenswear…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Children's Wear

"This selection gives a brief outline of the MHS collection of childrens’ wear, which at present includes a large quantity of 19th century baby and…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Northern Threads: Two centuries of dress at Maine Historical Society - Page 2 of 3

"With few exceptions, prior to the mid-20th century, clothing was not collected or considered museum worthy."

Historic Clothing Collection - Northern Threads: Two centuries of dress at Maine Historical Society - Page 3 of 3

"… wool exemplifies an extreme and short-lived mid-19th century bustle skirt style known as the cuirasse."

Historic Clothing Collection - Eighteenth Century - Page 2 of 3

"Eighteenth Century Bright pink petticoat, ca. 1780Maine Historical Society A quilted petticoat of bright pink calamanco (polished wool) with…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Eighteenth Century - Page 1 of 3

"Eighteenth Century Revolutionary-era styled gownMaine Historical Society As of the year 2020, the earliest garments in the MHS collection…"

Historic Clothing Collection - The Maine Historical Society Historic Dress Collection - Page 2 of 2

"… Fashionable Maine: early twentieth century clothing (2016), and Dressing Up, Standing Out, Fitting In: Adornment and Identity in Maine (2011)."

Historic Clothing Collection - 1940-1950 - Page 1 of 3

"Cloth for civilian clothing was limited because production was prioritized for military purposes. Bates Mill in Lewiston produced vast quantities of…"

Historic Clothing Collection - 1950-1960 - Page 1 of 4

"… dress stimulated growth of a new branch of the clothing industry, one that specialized in the design and manufacture of clothes for the young…"

Historic Clothing Collection - 1960-1970 - Page 1 of 3

"A new breed of young designers burst on the scene producing clothing to suit the new burgeoning youth-oriented market."

Historic Clothing Collection - 1940-1950 - Page 3 of 3

"… of affordable American designed, well-fitting clothing for college girls, women’s wear, and casual wear for every occasion and activity."

Historic Clothing Collection - 1920-1930 - Page 2 of 3

"1926Maine Historical Society Clothing of the early 1920s is characteristically loose with waists at hip level, and longish or just above…"

Historic Clothing Collection - 1950-1960 - Page 2 of 4

"… '50s jeans, or much in the area of 1950s teen clothing. The 1950s were not only the years of the "New Look," and rebellion, they were the years…"

Historic Clothing Collection - 1940-1950 - Page 2 of 3

"… designer famous for his elegant and timeless clothing. In the post war era, draped details, outsize bows, bunches, and swags were prominent design…"

Historic Clothing Collection - The Maine Historical Society Historic Dress Collection - Page 1 of 2

"Initially specializing in clothing from the early to mid-nineteenth century, the collection was added to by an extensive acquisition of late…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Fashions Far & Away

"This slide show highlights the collection's 19th century traditional Chinese embroidered pleated skirt, and other items ranging in use from personal…"

Historic Clothing Collection - Men's Wear

"… coats, and importantly, a group of high quality mid-twentieth century suits, which constitute a significant feature of the overall MHS collection."

Historic Clothing Collection - Site Overview

"… collection’s holdings from the late eighteenth century through about 1980. It is tailored for a non-specialist audience."