Clothing & Accessories

Women's Gown (cheong sam) ca. 1930

Work, play, fashion, economic class, religious faith, even politics—all these aspects of American life and more are woven into clothing. The Museum cares for one of the nation's foremost collections of men's, women's, and children's garments and accessories—from wedding gowns and military uniforms to Halloween costumes and bathing suits.

The collections include work uniforms, academic gowns, clothing of presidents and first ladies, T-shirts bearing protest slogans, and a clean-room "bunny suit" from a manufacturer of computer microchips. Beyond garments, the collections encompass jewelry, handbags, hair dryers, dress forms, hatboxes, suitcases, salesmen's samples, and thousands of fashion prints, photographs, and original illustrations. The more than 30,000 artifacts here represent the changing appearance of Americans from the 1700s to the present day.

Date: 2000s

Helmet Frontpiece, "Bergen"

The frontpiece (also known as shield or badge) of firefighting helmets has been a distinctive part of the American firefighter’s helmet since it was developed by Henry Gratacap in the early 19th century. These frontpieces displayed a variety of information.
Description (Brief)
The frontpiece (also known as shield or badge) of firefighting helmets has been a distinctive part of the American firefighter’s helmet since it was developed by Henry Gratacap in the early 19th century. These frontpieces displayed a variety of information. The fire company's name and number appeared, often alongside the city or town where it was based. The frontpiece could also include the owner's initials and rank. Most fire helmets had leather frontpieces, but frontpieces could also be made of metal, especially on presentation helmets or those worn in parades.
This black leather frontpiece was made in the 20th century. The frontpiece reads “BERGEN/6/TKH” in white. There is a crossed hook and ladder behind this, indicating it was a hook and ladder company. The letters "TKH" at the bottom of the frontpiece are likely the owner's initials.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
20th century
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.1423
accession number
2005.0233
catalog number
2005.0233.1423

Woman's Dress, 2002

This evening dress was created by internationally renowned designer Oscar de la Renta in the fall of 2002 for the House of Balmain.Oscar de la Renta, born in 1932, was the son of a Dominican Republic insurance agent. He received his education in Santo Domingo and in Madrid.
Description
This evening dress was created by internationally renowned designer Oscar de la Renta in the fall of 2002 for the House of Balmain.
Oscar de la Renta, born in 1932, was the son of a Dominican Republic insurance agent. He received his education in Santo Domingo and in Madrid. While studying to become a painter, he began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses to help pay for his studies. He first thought seriously about a career in fashion when he designed a debutante gown for the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, John Cabot Lodge. Soon after a photograph of the dress appeared in Life magazine, he was given his first professional job at Eisa, Balenciaga’s couture house in Madrid. In 1961, de la Renta was hired by Antonio del Castillo as an assistant at the Lanvin-Castillo couture house in Paris. He moved to New York to design for the custom-made collection at Elizabeth Arden in 1963, and in 1965 he joined the wholesale house of Jane Derby and became a partner in the business. After Derby retired in 1967, de la Renta changed the name of the company to his own ready-to-wear label, producing feminine, romantic, and dramatic evening clothes as well as accessories and fragrances for both men and women.
In 1993, de la Renta was hired by the House of Balmain to design their couture collection. He was the first American designer since Mainbocher to design couture in Paris, France. De la Renta worked at Balmain for ten years while also running his own company in the United States. In 2002, this dress, which was from the final collection designed by Oscar de la Renta for the House of Balmain, was shown on the fashion runway in Paris and then worn by Lee Radziwell, Jacqueline Kennedy’s sister, to the American Friends of Versailles event at the United Nations in September of 2002. It was also loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute for their exhibition “Goddess the Classical Mode” in 2003 before being donated to the Smithsonian in the fall of 2003 during a presentation called “An Evening with Oscar de la Renta.”
This two-piece dress is constructed of gilt cock feathers attached to a silk top and a gold lame skirt. The top is sleeveless with a wide bateau neckline formed with a band of small hand-clipped overlapping feathers horizontally placed from shoulder to shoulder, meeting at the center front and back. The remainder of the top is covered with small feathers vertically overlapping in graduated rows that end in three rows of larger feathers from the waist to the hip area. There is a center back nylon zipper opening with a hook-and-eye closure. The back and bust darts shape the fit of the top with a gold China silk lining. The skirt is a column of crimped and pleated silk lame that hangs straight at the sides, ending in a lettuce-edged bottom. An invisible left side zipper opening ends with a hook-and-eye closure at the waistline. A gold China silk fabric partially lines the skirt. A Balmain/Paris label is sewn to the inside lining at the left back neckline. The dress measures 19 1/8" at the center back of the top, 43 1/4" at the center back of the skirt, and 26" at the waistline of the skirt.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
2002
costume nmah
National Museum of American History. Division of Social History
designer
de la Renta, Oscar
used by
Radziwill, Lee
maker
Balmain, Pierre
ID Number
2003.0274.002
accession number
2003.0274
catalog number
2003.0274.002

Police SWAT Vest

Law enforcement personnel joined with many other groups to save lives in the wake of Katrina's passage through the Gulf Coast in August 2005.
Description
Law enforcement personnel joined with many other groups to save lives in the wake of Katrina's passage through the Gulf Coast in August 2005. Skills used to apprehend criminals were supplemented by heroic attempts to rescue victims caught up in the swirling waters of the hurricane.
On the night of the hurricane Officer David Waite of the New Orleans Police Department was wearing this bullet-proof vest when he jumped into deep water in a city housing project to save a five-day-old girl. That girl and her family were escaping their housing in an overloaded boat that had just capsized. A nearby police boat witnessed the scene. The girl's mother attempted to lift the baby out of the water, but the infant seat in which she was strapped was too heavy and sank. Waite swam down to it and pulled the seat and baby into his craft. Another officer, Lejon Roberts, administered CPR to the infant as their boat sped to a nearby hospital. The child and her family survived.
Location
Currently not on view
Associated Date
August - September 2005
user
Waite, David J.
referenced
Roberts, LeJon
New Orleans Police Department
ID Number
2006.0066.01
catalog number
2006.0066.01
accession number
2006.0066

boots

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2009
maker
unknown
ID Number
2009.0224.04
catalog number
2009.0224.04
accession number
2009.0224

Charro Ceñidor - Orange

Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa.
Description
Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa. He travelled to Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the US to work on telenovelas and movies. Eventually he was offered a job to join Univision in Los Angeles to work on daytime television after several years he left for Telemundo. In addition to his career in television and movies, he also developed a career as a recording artist. He became so well known that he was often asked to perform in festivals and celebrations, appearing in traditional Mexican charro attire for these events. Gazcón chronicled his experience through his scrapbook, which is in the National Museum of American History's Archives Center.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
Edgardo Gazcón creció en el seno de una familia de artistas y productores de cine en México. Después de completar su licenciatura y maestría en la Ciudad de México, se sintió atraído por la televisión y trabajó como actor en telenovelas producidas por Televisa. Viajó a Colombia, Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos para trabajar en telenovelas y películas. Más adelante, le ofrecieron un trabajo en Univision en Los Ángeles para participar en programas diurnos; después de varios años se pasó a Telemundo. Además de su carrera en televisión y cine, también desarrolló una carrera como artista de grabaciones. Se hizo tan conocido que a menudo se le pedía que actuara en festivales y celebraciones, presentándose a estos eventos con el atuendo tradicional de charro mexicano. Gazcón registró sus experiencias en un álbum de recortes, que se encuentra en el Centro de Archivos del Museo Nacional de Historia Americana.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1990
date used
1990-09-15
dates used
1990-2000
ID Number
2017.0340.01
catalog number
2017.0340.01
accession number
2017.0340

Alaska Ocean Coveralls

Fish processors, laboratory staff, inspectors, supervisors, and others who work in the factory aboard the Alaska Ocean wear royal blue coveralls like these when on duty. These polyester coveralls are worn over other clothing to maintain standards of hygiene in the factory.
Description
Fish processors, laboratory staff, inspectors, supervisors, and others who work in the factory aboard the Alaska Ocean wear royal blue coveralls like these when on duty. These polyester coveralls are worn over other clothing to maintain standards of hygiene in the factory. Some processors change their coveralls several times during their daily 12-hour shift, which can extend to kicker shifts of an additional three hours. Because clean coveralls are always in demand, the factory’s laundry crew keeps the industrial washers and dryers running continuously. The coveralls, with the words Alaska Ocean emblazoned across the back, zip up the front and are typically worn tucked into boots.
date made
2006
Associated Date
2007
used
McFarland, Thelma
maker
Fristads
ID Number
2007.0178.20
catalog number
2007.0178.20
accession number
2007.0178

Escaramuza 5 piece ensemble

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2009
maker
Enselma
ID Number
2009.0224.01
catalog number
2009.0224.01
accession number
2009.0224

Fire Helmet, "Washington Hose Company No. 1"

The traditional American leather firefighter’s helmet with its distinctive long rear brim, frontpiece, and crest adornment was first developed around 1821-1836 in New York City. Henry T.
Description
The traditional American leather firefighter’s helmet with its distinctive long rear brim, frontpiece, and crest adornment was first developed around 1821-1836 in New York City. Henry T. Gratacap, a New York City luggage maker by trade, is often credited as the developer of this style of fire helmet. Gratacap created a specially treated leather helmet with a segmented “comb” design that led to unparalleled durability and strength. The elongated rear brim (also known as a duckbill or beavertail) and frontpiece were 19th century innovations that remain the most identifiable feature of firefighter’s helmets. The body of the helmet was primarily designed to deflect falling debris, the rear brim prevented water from running down firefighters’ backs, and their sturdy crowns could aid, if necessary, in breaking windows.
This black leather fire dates to the late 19th century. The helmet has eight combs, with decorative triangles in between the segments and ivy-vine scrollwork around the hat’s brim. The metal eagle’s head frontpiece holder is mounted onto the crown of the helmet, with a thin metal frontpiece that reads “WASHINGTON/1/HOSE.” The frontpiece has a stamped rope border, and the center number “1” is surrounded by a hose.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
20th century
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.0197
accession number
2005.0233
catalog number
2005.0233.0197

bow tie

Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa.
Description
Edgardo Gazcón was born into a family of cinema entertainers and producers in Mexico. After completing his BA and MA in Mexico City, he was drawn to television and worked as an actor on telenovelas produced by Televisa. He travelled to Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the US to work on telenovelas and movies. Eventually he was offered a job to join Univision in Los Angeles to work on daytime television after several years he left for Telemundo. In addition to his career in television and movies, he also developed a career as a recording artist. He became so well known that he was often asked to perform in festivals and celebrations, appearing in traditional Mexican charro attire for these events. Gazcón chronicled his experience through his scrapbook, which is in the National Museum of American History's Archives Center.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
Edgardo Gazcón creció en el seno de una familia de artistas y productores de cine en México. Después de completar su licenciatura y maestría en la Ciudad de México, se sintió atraído por la televisión y trabajó como actor en telenovelas producidas por Televisa. Viajó a Colombia, Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos para trabajar en telenovelas y películas. Más adelante, le ofrecieron un trabajo en Univision en Los Ángeles para participar en programas diurnos; después de varios años se pasó a Telemundo. Además de su carrera en televisión y cine, también desarrolló una carrera como artista de grabaciones. Era tan reconocido que a menudo se le pedía que participara en festivales y celebraciones, presentándose a estos eventos con el atuendo tradicional de charro mexicano. Gazcón registró sus experiencias en un álbum de recortes, que se encuentra en el Centro de Archivos del Museo Nacional de Historia Americana.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1990s
dates worn
1990-2000
ID Number
2017.0340.07
catalog number
2017.0340.07
accession number
2017.0340

Rosary

Weather forecasting, like air traffic controlling, can at times be an unnerving occupation.
Description
Weather forecasting, like air traffic controlling, can at times be an unnerving occupation. Dramatic changes in weather patterns have the potential to affect millions of people, as do warnings issued by the National Weather Service, an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Robert Ricks, chief NWS forecaster on duty at the Slidell, Louisiana weather station the morning of August 28, studied the computer maps of Hurricane Katrina's movement across the Gulf of Mexico. At 10:11 that morning, he quickly composed an urgent and unambiguous weather alert, what became the most accurate prediction of Katrina's impact. "A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH . . ." it began. "MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS . . . PERHAPS LONGER . . . ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL . . . ALL WOOD-FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED . . . WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS . . . NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED . . . LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED . . . "
To comfort him during his forecasting assignment that day, and in the chaotic days immediately after, Ricks carried this Catholic rosary given to him by his grandmother. He later donated it to the Smithsonian as a symbol of his own perilous journey through the arms of Hurricane Katrina.
Location
Currently not on view
Associated Date
August - September 2005
user
Ricks, Robert
referenced
National Weather Service
ID Number
2006.0220.01
accession number
2006.0220
catalog number
2006.0220.01

Factory Processor’s Boots

These non-slip, waterproof boots were worn by Thelma McFarland, a fish processor working aboard the Alaska Ocean factory trawler in the summer of 2007.
Description
These non-slip, waterproof boots were worn by Thelma McFarland, a fish processor working aboard the Alaska Ocean factory trawler in the summer of 2007. Manufactured in the USA, these “Xtratuf” boots are made of neoprene, a synthetic rubber.
Processors work 12-hour shifts and, if the factory is busy, they may work an additional 3 hours, called a kicker shift. For most of this time, the workers are on their feet, standing at processing tables or conveyor belts, or walking from one station to another on grated walkways. These walkways, like the areas around the equipment where processors stand to work, are raised above the floor, allowing the water used in factory operations to run beneath the workers’ feet. Despite being elevated above any water flow, it is still essential for workers to wear non-slip, waterproof boots to keep their feet warm and dry.
These boots are identical to those worn by deck hands. Most of the specialized clothing worn by workers and crew aboard the Alaska Ocean is provided by the company. Boots, however, are purchased by individuals, and are available in the on-board store. Felt insoles for the boots are available in the laundry and are washed frequently by laundry staff.
date made
2007
used
2007
used
McFarland, Thelma
maker
Norcross Safety Products, L. L. C.
ID Number
2007.0178.17
catalog number
2007.0178.17
accession number
2007.0178

Garment Production Specification Papers

These are cutting and sewing instructions for the overseas manufacturing of a dress sold under the “Hot Kiss” label. The instructions date from June 27, 2002 and describe a dress with style number 126-5462 made in Hong Kong.
Description
These are cutting and sewing instructions for the overseas manufacturing of a dress sold under the “Hot Kiss” label. The instructions date from June 27, 2002 and describe a dress with style number 126-5462 made in Hong Kong. The paper gives explicit instructions about how to stitch the seams, where the ruffles should go, and how much cloth should be used for each size of dress. During the 1980s, more and more brands and labels operated factories abroad to manufacture their wares with cheaper labor. This made it necessary to create guidelines and instructions for the overseas workers such as this ticket.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1999 - 2002
1999-2002
maker
Hot Kiss, Inc.
ID Number
2014.3041.04.15
accession number
2014.3041
catalog number
2014.3041.04.15

Guayabera

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2009
retailer
Olverita's
ID Number
2009.0173.001
accession number
2009.0173
catalog number
2009.0173.001

Quinceanera dress

Natalia Flores wore this pink silver-embroidered evening gown for her Quinceanera held in Chicago in 2006. Quinceaneras are a Latina religious tradition that celebrate the maturing of a girl into a woman.
Description
Natalia Flores wore this pink silver-embroidered evening gown for her Quinceanera held in Chicago in 2006. Quinceaneras are a Latina religious tradition that celebrate the maturing of a girl into a woman. Traditionally, the celebration takes place on the girl's fifteenth birthday, is religious in nature, and involves her dressing in a formal gown.
American immigrants have strived to preserve their cultural identities through performing these traditions. Although Natalia's mother did not have a Quinceanera in Mexico, she thought it was important for her daughter to experience this custom in America.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2006
distributor
P.C. Mary's Inc.
wearer
Flores, Natalia
maker
unknown
ID Number
2009.0169.001
accession number
2009.0169
catalog number
2009.0169.001

Fisherman’s Sweatshirt

This heavyweight, extra-large hooded sweatshirt was worn by one of the deck hands working aboard the Alaska Ocean catcher-processer in 2007.
Description
This heavyweight, extra-large hooded sweatshirt was worn by one of the deck hands working aboard the Alaska Ocean catcher-processer in 2007. It features the logo of the Alaska Ship Supply store in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, a major commercial fishing port at the end of the Aleutian Chain. Although the Alaska Ocean’s home port is now Seattle (it was formerly Anacortes, Washington), Dutch Harbor serves as the vessel’s home base during the months it operates in the Bering Sea.
The 125-person crew of the Alaska Ocean is at sea for several weeks at a time, and they look forward to reaching Dutch Harbor where they unload the frozen fish products and resupply the ship. The captain and crew can take care of personal business while in port as well, and stores like Alaska Ship Supply cater to their needs by selling clothing, supplies, marine hardware, groceries, postage, and other items.
The Alaska Ocean is a 376-foot-long vessel in the Seattle-based catcher-processor fleet. Workers catch, process, package, and freeze groundfish—mostly pollock and Pacific whiting—in the Bering Sea and in the waters off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. The vessel can harvest about 325 metric tons of fish per day and can freeze over 250,000 pounds of fish product daily.
date made
ca 2007
maker
Alaska Ship Supply
ID Number
2007.0178.06
catalog number
2007.0178.06
accession number
2007.0178

Garment Production Specification Papers

These are cutting and sewing instructions for the overseas manufacturing of a dress sold under the “Hot Kiss” label. The instructions date from June 27, 2002 and describe a dress with style number 126-5462 made in Hong Kong.
Description
These are cutting and sewing instructions for the overseas manufacturing of a dress sold under the “Hot Kiss” label. The instructions date from June 27, 2002 and describe a dress with style number 126-5462 made in Hong Kong. The paper gives explicit instructions about how to stitch the seams, where the ruffles should go, and how much cloth should be used for each size of dress. During the 1980s, more and more brands and labels operated factories abroad to manufacture their wares with cheaper labor. This made it necessary to create guidelines and instructions for the overseas workers such as this ticket.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1999 - 2002
1999-2002
maker
Hot Kiss, Inc.
ID Number
2014.3041.04.10
accession number
2014.3041
catalog number
2014.3041.04.10

Fisherman’s Knife

A good, sharp knife is an essential tool for fishermen working on the fish deck of a catcher-processor. Aboard the Alaska Ocean, each deckhand carries a “Vicky,” shorthand for a Victorinox knife. This example is 7.5 inches long, including the handle.
Description
A good, sharp knife is an essential tool for fishermen working on the fish deck of a catcher-processor. Aboard the Alaska Ocean, each deckhand carries a “Vicky,” shorthand for a Victorinox knife. This example is 7.5 inches long, including the handle. It is used for mending nets, cutting lines, and for general duties like cutting up cardboard for the on-board incinerator. The holder for this knife has weathered a lot of use, evidenced by the tape repairs.
In a June 2007 interview with deck boss Brent Walter (who was in his twelfth year working on the Alaska Ocean) and deckhands Ben Boyok and Matt Prebezac (who had been with the Alaska Ocean for seven years and two years, respectively), they agreed that net repair was the hardest part of the job. The main difficulty involves learning to conceptualize the repair. Because the net mesh is so huge, it takes time and experience to understand how to make the repair correctly. At the time, the Alaska Ocean was fishing in waters about 50 miles off the coast of Washington State and using a mid-water trawl. Repairs to the nets were minimal. The deckhands expected to do more net repair later in the season when the vessel moved to the Bering Sea, where the nets get torn from bottom-fishing.
The Alaska Ocean is a 376-foot-long vessel in the Seattle-based catcher-processor fleet. Workers catch, process, package, and freeze groundfish—mostly pollock and Pacific whiting—in the Bering Sea and in the waters off the coast of the Pacific Northwest.
date made
ca 2007
maker
Victorinox Swiss Army
ID Number
2007.0178.03
catalog number
2007.0178.03
accession number
2007.0178

Helmet Frontpiece, “McLean Engine 3”

The frontpiece (also known as shield or badge) of firefighting helmets has been a distinctive part of the American firefighter’s helmet since it was developed by Henry Gratacap in the early 19th century. These frontpieces displayed a variety of information.
Description (Brief)
The frontpiece (also known as shield or badge) of firefighting helmets has been a distinctive part of the American firefighter’s helmet since it was developed by Henry Gratacap in the early 19th century. These frontpieces displayed a variety of information. The fire company's name and number appeared, often alongside the city or town where it was based. The frontpiece could also include the owner's initials and rank. Most fire helmets had leather frontpieces, but frontpieces could also be made of metal, especially on presentation helmets or those worn in parades.
This frontpiece was made during the early 20th century. At the top of the red leather frontpiece are two dark brown banners with white leather lettering that reads “McLEAN/ENGINE.” A large white leather “3” is in the center of the piece, below it is a recessed cartouche with a dark brown background. White leather initials “HPS” originally were in the cartouche, but the “H” is missing a stem, and the “P” is completely absent.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.1492
accession number
2005.0233
catalog number
2005.0233.1492

stole

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2001
c. 1995
ID Number
2009.0172.002
accession number
2009.0172
catalog number
2009.0172.002

corset

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2009
retailer
Olverita's
ID Number
2009.0173.002
accession number
2009.0173
catalog number
2009.0173.002

Escaramuza 3 piece ensemble

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2007
maker
Enselma
ID Number
2009.0224.02
catalog number
2009.0224.02
accession number
2009.0224

Garment Production Specification Papers

These are cutting and sewing instructions for the overseas manufacturing of a dress sold under the “Hot Kiss” label. The instructions date from June 27, 2002 and describe a dress with style number 126-5462 made in Hong Kong.
Description
These are cutting and sewing instructions for the overseas manufacturing of a dress sold under the “Hot Kiss” label. The instructions date from June 27, 2002 and describe a dress with style number 126-5462 made in Hong Kong. The paper gives explicit instructions about how to stitch the seams, where the ruffles should go, and how much cloth should be used for each size of dress. During the 1980s, more and more brands and labels operated factories abroad to manufacture their wares with cheaper labor. This made it necessary to create guidelines and instructions for the overseas workers such as this ticket.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1999 - 2002
1999-2002
maker
Hot Kiss, Inc.
ID Number
2014.3041.04.04
accession number
2014.3041
catalog number
2014.3041.04.04

jacket

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000s
ID Number
2011.0160.13
accession number
2011.0160
catalog number
2011.0160.13

Stop Sweatshop Labor here & abroad ISO

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
2000
2000-04-16
ID Number
2000.0158.04
accession number
2000.0158
catalog number
2000.0158.04

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