Clothing & Accessories

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.

These black wire mesh goggles with oval aqua-colored lenses were designed to protect the eyes from the wind and dust. A cotton cord wraps around the head to keep the goggles secure.
Description
These black wire mesh goggles with oval aqua-colored lenses were designed to protect the eyes from the wind and dust. A cotton cord wraps around the head to keep the goggles secure. Advertisements suggested the goggles would be particularly useful keeping cinders from the eyes while traveling in a railroad car.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1860
maker
unknown
ID Number
MG.317912.088
accession number
317912
catalog number
317912.088
Smoking tobacco was linked to lung cancer early in the 20th century, but it was not until 1964 that the United States Surgeon General declared smoking to be a major cause of lung cancer and recommended that smokers kick the habit.
Description
Smoking tobacco was linked to lung cancer early in the 20th century, but it was not until 1964 that the United States Surgeon General declared smoking to be a major cause of lung cancer and recommended that smokers kick the habit. In the years following the Surgeon General’s recommendation, organizations such as the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society waged campaigns to educate people about the dangers of smoking.
When the dangers of second-hand smoke became evident, the anti-smoking campaigns expanded to include linking human health to the environment. This was part of a growing trend among activists in the 1970s and 80s to deal with air pollution, noise pollution, and other issues relating to life in our towns and cities.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2003.0014.0128
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0128
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), founded in 1949, became a hugely popular sport in the United States by the 1990s, rivaling baseball and football. Dale Earnhardt (1951-2001), a native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, was one of the sport's top figures.
Description
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), founded in 1949, became a hugely popular sport in the United States by the 1990s, rivaling baseball and football. Dale Earnhardt (1951-2001), a native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, was one of the sport's top figures. Beginning in 1975, Earnhardt won seven series championships, including the Winston Cup, NASCAR's top level, and a Daytona 500, then the most prestigious NASCAR race. Earnhardt's death at Daytona in a crash on February 18th, 2001 was traumatic for his fans and for NASCAR and led to improvements in racing safety.
Earnhardt's helmet from the 1998 NASCAR season, an open-face 1996 Simpson model equipped with a microphone, was itself a major step forward in saving drivers' lives in racing crashes. Prior to 1957, the best protective helmets were made of fiberglass and were lined with resilient rubber foam. In that year the Snell Foundation, named for an amateur race car driver who died of massive head injuries, was formed to find better ways of protecting race car drivers, motorcycle riders, and others engaged in dangerous activities. The Snell Foundation discovered that resilient or bouncy lining materials actually transmitted the force of contact with a hard object to the wearer's skull. The solution was to use non-resilient materials that absorbed the forces of a crash and did not rebound. Earnhardt's helmet was state of the art in helmet construction in 1998. Its lining crushed and did not rebound. After even the slightest blow, the helmet would be replaced with a new one.
In the 2001 crash, Earnhardt's head snapped forward violently, breaking his neck. The death of NASCAR's brightest star at that time led to the adoption of the "Hans device," which supports the head and does not allow it to snap forward in a crash. NASCAR's new chassis, the "Car of Tomorrow," adopted in 2007, also was designed to give drivers added crash protection.
Location
Currently on loan
Date made
1996-01
wearer
Earnhardt, Dale
ID Number
1999.0153.01
accession number
1999.0153
catalog number
1999.0153.01
Mrs. Bertrand Cohn purchased this "Delphos" dress in Paris in 1936. When she returned to New York, she wore it to the Metropolitan Opera with silver shoes and a diamond necklace.
Description
Mrs. Bertrand Cohn purchased this "Delphos" dress in Paris in 1936. When she returned to New York, she wore it to the Metropolitan Opera with silver shoes and a diamond necklace. She later donated the dress to the Smithsonian.
The designer, Mariano Fortuny, was born in Granada, Spain, in 1871 to a family of artists. After his father’s death in 1874, the Fortunys lived in Paris and Spain and eventually settled in Venice, Italy. Inspired by his surroundings and encouraged by his family, Mariano became a painter. Fortuny's artistic interest covered a range of creative endeavors, from sculpture, photography, and interior design to stage and set design and stage lighting. His interest in dyes and chemistry led him to textile and costume design, for which he is best known today.
Influenced by Orientalism and neoclassicism, Fortuny created lush and decorative fabrics. Using a mixture of hand and screen printing to decorate the fabrics allowed him the freedom to experiment and design. His most famous design was the "Delphos," a classic pleated tea gown he began making around 1907 and continued until his death. Named after a Greek classical sculpture, the Delphos dress was a simple column of vertical pleats permanently set in silk by a process never successfully duplicated. Fortuny considered his dress concepts to be inventions, and in 1909 he patented the pleating process and the machine he invented and copy-righted the design of the dress. These dresses were meant to be stored by rolling them lengthwise, twisting them into a ball and placing them in an oval miniature hat box (we have the one that came with this dress), thus preserving the pleats and keeping the shape of the dress.
Avant-garde American dancers Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis wore Fortunys because of their interest in the body and movement. Originally made to be worn as teas gowns for entertaining at home, the gowns were seen outside the home by the 1930s.
This two-piece tubular cut tea gown is constructed of a finely pleated rose-colored silk. It is full length with openings at the side seams to form armholes. The wide scoop neckline has a drawstring encased along the inside edge, and there are two rows of stitching on either side of the shoulder seams. Silk cording evenly threaded with yellow glass beads with black and red stripes is stitched along the side seams and the armhole edges. The separate belt is made of rose-colored silk painted with a silver metallic pattern of trailing oak leaves and dots.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1936
user
Mrs. Bertrand W. Cohn
designer
Fortuny, Mariano
ID Number
CS.322625.002
catalog number
322625.002
accession number
322625
322625
These silver-framed eyeglasses with round lenses are know as Martin's Margins. They were invented by Benjamin Martin (1704–1782), an instrument maker from London, England. The dark rims were supposed to protect wearers from excessive light and improve their vision.
Description
These silver-framed eyeglasses with round lenses are know as Martin's Margins. They were invented by Benjamin Martin (1704–1782), an instrument maker from London, England. The dark rims were supposed to protect wearers from excessive light and improve their vision. This pair probably dates from the second half of the eighteenth century. Most Martin's Margins frames are made from steel or silver and have either horn or tortoiseshell rims.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1750-1800
maker
unknown
ID Number
MG.M-11223
accession number
260033
catalog number
M-11223
In the nineteenth century this type of eyewear was referred to as eye protectors or railroad glasses. They have four colored lenses and were worn to help protect weak eyes from bright light, dust, and the wind when out riding or driving.
Description
In the nineteenth century this type of eyewear was referred to as eye protectors or railroad glasses. They have four colored lenses and were worn to help protect weak eyes from bright light, dust, and the wind when out riding or driving. They have steel frames with double lenses (sometimes referred to as Double-D lenses) and are tinted different shades of blue and blue-green. Lenses could be found in shades of blue, green, amber, and gray. The bows are sliding extension temples terminating in a teardrop-shaped fenestration. This pair of eyeglasses date from about 1850.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
ID Number
MG.317912.064
accession number
317912
catalog number
317912.064
This pair of Harlequin-shaped eyeglasses dates from about 1960. The frame is made from 12KT white gold and has a black enamel-like design on the rim and temples. The Ultex bifocal lenses are made each from one piece of ground glass.
Description
This pair of Harlequin-shaped eyeglasses dates from about 1960. The frame is made from 12KT white gold and has a black enamel-like design on the rim and temples. The Ultex bifocal lenses are made each from one piece of ground glass. The nose pads and earpieces are covered in plastic. By the mid-twentieth century, the variety of styles, colors, and materials for eyewear had become limitless.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1955
ca 1960
maker
unknown
ID Number
1984.0140.417
catalog number
1984.0140.417
accession number
1984.0140
ZPG refers to Zero Population Growth, an organization founded in the late 1960s to advocate the limitation of family size and to educate citizens about the perils of over-population.Currently not on view
Description
ZPG refers to Zero Population Growth, an organization founded in the late 1960s to advocate the limitation of family size and to educate citizens about the perils of over-population.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1994.0165.06
catalog number
1994.0165.06
accession number
1994.0165
David Powell, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, designed this button for the Philadelphia Earth Week Committee on the occasion of the first Earth Day in 1970. The button was made by Horn Badge Co. of Glenside, Pennsylvania.Currently not on view
Description
David Powell, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, designed this button for the Philadelphia Earth Week Committee on the occasion of the first Earth Day in 1970. The button was made by Horn Badge Co. of Glenside, Pennsylvania.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1970
maker
Edward Horn Co.
ID Number
1993.3186.05
catalog number
1993.3186.05
nonaccession number
1993.3186
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. The occasion was first conceived by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, as a national day of observance for environmental problems.
Description
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. The occasion was first conceived by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, as a national day of observance for environmental problems. Millions of people participated in events across the country, while thousands of schools held special educational sessions, all dealing with environmental concerns. Earth Day has since become an annual event, celebrated worldwide.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1970
maker
Edward Horn Co.
ID Number
1993.3186.08
nonaccession number
1993.3186
catalog number
1993.3186.08
This button depicts the ecology symbol, a small letter “e” inside the larger letter “O,” the letters standing for “environment” and “organism.” Cartoonist Ron Cobb invented the symbol in 1969. The ecology symbol appeared in a green U.S.
Description
This button depicts the ecology symbol, a small letter “e” inside the larger letter “O,” the letters standing for “environment” and “organism.” Cartoonist Ron Cobb invented the symbol in 1969. The ecology symbol appeared in a green U.S. flag for the first time in the April 21, 1970 issue of Look magazine.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Racomex Products
ID Number
1993.3186.01
catalog number
1993.3186.01
nonaccession number
1993.3186
These gold-plated eyeglass frames with rectangular glass lenses connected by a broad bridge date from about 1850 to 1880. The straight temples terminate in teardrop-shaped fenestrations.Currently not on view
Description
These gold-plated eyeglass frames with rectangular glass lenses connected by a broad bridge date from about 1850 to 1880. The straight temples terminate in teardrop-shaped fenestrations.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1880
1850-1900
maker
unknown
ID Number
1981.0828.12
catalog number
1981.0828.12
accession number
1981.0828
Few episodes in United States history helped forge today’s culture of environmental awareness more than a controversial proposal to build dams within Grand Canyon National Park.The Grand Canyon’s unique beauty and immense scale have impressed generations of Americans, making the
Description
Few episodes in United States history helped forge today’s culture of environmental awareness more than a controversial proposal to build dams within Grand Canyon National Park.
The Grand Canyon’s unique beauty and immense scale have impressed generations of Americans, making the Northern Arizona landmark one of the nation’s most symbolically rich natural landscapes.
The Canyon is formed by the Colorado River, a water system running from the Rocky Mountains into the Gulf of California. The Colorado is one of the largest sources of fresh water and hydro-electric power available to arid portions of the western United States. The river’s resources have been taxed by ever-increasing populations. Dams had already been built on much of the Colorado when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation proposed erecting new dams within the Grand Canyon in the mid 1960s. The dams were proposed despite the Grand Canyon’s designation as a federally protected National Park (1919.)
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Big Ed's Buttons
ID Number
2003.0014.0522
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0522
This popular button protests the use of nuclear power as an energy source.Currently not on view
Description
This popular button protests the use of nuclear power as an energy source.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2003.0014.0452
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0452
The group "Bike for a Better City" encouraged New York commuters and lawmakers to view bicycling as a means for everyday transportation.
Description
The group "Bike for a Better City" encouraged New York commuters and lawmakers to view bicycling as a means for everyday transportation. The organization, founded in 1970 by Barry Fishman and Harriet Green, called for the establishment of special bike lanes to make city biking safer.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Fishman, Barry
ID Number
2003.0014.0051
catalog number
2003.0014.0051
accession number
2003.0014
This button promotes the recreational uses of nature. The tremendous expansion of outdoor recreation throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s helped raise the level of support for environmental causes. Ironically, it also contributed to the degradation of natural areas.
Description
This button promotes the recreational uses of nature. The tremendous expansion of outdoor recreation throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s helped raise the level of support for environmental causes. Ironically, it also contributed to the degradation of natural areas. The increasing numbers of visitors have caused traffic jams inside national parks and increased use has damaged fragile ecosystems.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
ID Number
2003.0014.0759
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0759
The slogan on this button refers to James G. Watt, who was named Secretary of the Interior by President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
Description
The slogan on this button refers to James G. Watt, who was named Secretary of the Interior by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Due to controversial positions regarding the commercial development of federal lands, environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, National Audubon Society, and Friends of the Earth criticized Watt during his tenure and called for his ouster. Watt resigned in 1983 after making inappropriate comments before Congress regarding the makeup of his department.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1981-1983
ID Number
2003.0014.1528
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.1528
Produced by the group Zero Population Growth, this button highlights anxiety created by the continued growth of the world’s population, first remarked upon by Englishman Thomas Malthus in his 1798 work, An Essay on the Principle of Population. Paul R.
Description
Produced by the group Zero Population Growth, this button highlights anxiety created by the continued growth of the world’s population, first remarked upon by Englishman Thomas Malthus in his 1798 work, An Essay on the Principle of Population. Paul R. Ehrlich’s bestselling book The Population Bomb, published in 1968, renewed interest in the topic by raising concerns about the potential risks of overpopulation.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Zero Population Growth
ID Number
2003.0014.0137
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0137
On March 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, off the coast of Alaska. Almost 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the sea, the largest oil spill in United States history.
Description
On March 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, off the coast of Alaska. Almost 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the sea, the largest oil spill in United States history. The resulting oil slick contaminated 1,300 miles of coastline and killed over 200,000 sea birds and sea mammals such as otters, seals, and killer whales. The clean-up cost over 2.2 billion dollars.
Environmental disasters are often used to galvanize public support for reform; the Exxon Valdez accident is a perfect example. This button was produced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the event.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Badge-A-Minit
ID Number
2003.0014.0831
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0831
The slogan on this button is a humorous take-off on the well-known “save the whales” buttons, which were popular in the mid-1970s to the 1980s.Currently not on view
Description
The slogan on this button is a humorous take-off on the well-known “save the whales” buttons, which were popular in the mid-1970s to the 1980s.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2003.0014.1256
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.1256
The emblem painted on this Fairmount Fire Company's parade hat was inspired by William Rush's sculpture entitled "Nymph and Bittern." This somewhat feminine symbol seems unusual until the history of the sculpture is known.
Description
The emblem painted on this Fairmount Fire Company's parade hat was inspired by William Rush's sculpture entitled "Nymph and Bittern." This somewhat feminine symbol seems unusual until the history of the sculpture is known. The artwork was part of a fountain commissioned to commemorate the completion of Philadelphia's new water system in 1822. The system was state-of-the-art, and the statue was considered the best piece of public art in America. Wearing these hats linked the Fairmount Company with Philadelphia's technological advancement, cultural supremacy, and proud fire fighting history.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1820-1860
associated
Rush, William
maker
Shotwell & Garden
ID Number
2005.0233.0037
catalog number
2005.0233.0037
accession number
2005.0233
In the early 1800s, classical images associated with Greece and Rome became popular in America. In art and architecture, Americans sought to link their young nation to these republics of antiquity.
Description
In the early 1800s, classical images associated with Greece and Rome became popular in America. In art and architecture, Americans sought to link their young nation to these republics of antiquity. The Roman goddess Libertas, representing personal sovereignty, was changed into Lady Liberty and adopted as an American symbol. The Citizen Fire Company chose Liberty as their emblem at its founding in 1836. Depicted on this parade hat, the female figure holds an American shield in one hand representing strength and protection. The red liberty cap atop a pole in Liberty's other hand was an internationally known symbol of the American Revolution that was also adopted from the Roman Empire.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
c.1840-1860
associated
Citizen Fire Company #3
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.0027
catalog number
2005.0233.0027
accession number
2005.0233
The California condor decreased in population steadily throughout the 20th century. In 1985 there were believed to be less than two dozen birds left in the wild. That year, the U.S.
Description
The California condor decreased in population steadily throughout the 20th century. In 1985 there were believed to be less than two dozen birds left in the wild. That year, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service embarked upon a controversial program to collect the remaining California condors and breed them in captivity. Due to the success of the program, the condor population now reaches over 240 birds, with over 100 released into areas of California, Arizona and Baja, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Badge-A-Minit
ID Number
2003.0014.0910
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0910
This button was likely produced in reaction to an oil embargo that occurred in 1973-1974. The embargo caused gas shortages, leading to higher prices and gas rationing, and resulted in long lines at the gas pumps.
Description
This button was likely produced in reaction to an oil embargo that occurred in 1973-1974. The embargo caused gas shortages, leading to higher prices and gas rationing, and resulted in long lines at the gas pumps. This button suggests one possible response to the embargo.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Badge-A-Minit
ID Number
2003.0014.0013
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0013

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