Clothing & Accessories - Overview
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.
"Clothing & Accessories - Overview" showing 10 items.
Woman's Dress, 2002
- 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
- costumenmah
- 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Cruise Ship Sailor’s Name Tag
- Description
- This plastic name tag was pinned to the uniform of a sailor named Handriyo, a member of the Nautical Department aboard the Holland America Line’s cruise ship Zuiderdam in 2007. The classic sailor’s uniform consisted of a blue shirt with a white-trimmed collar, dark blue pants, and a beribboned hat. Handriyo held the position of “sailor AB (able-bodied)” and he reported to the ship’s boatswain.
- The job involved performing maintenance and cleaning duties aboard the ship, including painting the ship inside and out; cleaning the outside decks and accommodations; working the mooring ropes; driving the ship’s tender; making small maintenance repairs; assisting in the maintenance of boats, rafts, and other gear on the deck; rigging cargo, baggage, and tender gear; opening and closing hatches; baggage handling; and performing shore duties. In 2009, an entry-level, able-bodied seaman working aboard a typical cruise ship earned about $1,500 to $1,800 per month, with room and board provided on the ship.
- Taking a cruise has become a popular leisure activity for many Americans. In 1980, 1.4 million Americans took a North American cruise and by 2005, that number had increased to 9.6 million. As both the number and size of cruise ships have grown, the number of people required to keep them running smoothly and to serve the needs of passengers has increased as well. Aboard the Zuiderdam, 800 crew work around the clock to fulfill the needs of 1,848 passengers.
- Cruise ship employees are recruited from around the world for a wide variety of jobs, from waiters to chefs, housekeepers to hair and nail technicians, and excursion leaders to shop managers. For the many jobs requiring interaction with passengers, workers must have a good command of English, and English-speaking workers from the Philippines or Indonesia (like Handriyo) fill many hospitality and service jobs aboard modern cruise ships. Americans are not typically attracted to most cruise-ship hospitality and service jobs because of low wages, long workdays at sea, and the hardship of having to be away from home and family for long periods of time.
- date made
- ca 2007
- 2007
- ID Number
- 2007.0172.09
- catalog number
- 2007.0172.09
- accession number
- 2007.0172
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Sweatpants
- Description
- Working on a factory trawler like the Alaska Ocean means living at sea for weeks at a time. The vessel fishes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and everyone aboard works a 12-hour shift. Although at 376 feet the vessel is huge, it is still a confined space with little variation in routines. People relax by working out in the gym, having a snack in the galley, or by watching movies (DVDs) in the large lounge, where a dozen recliners are arranged in a loose semicircle. The staterooms also have television sets and in early June when the boat is typically fishing in the North Pacific off the coast of Washington State, many of the sets are tuned in to Seattle Mariners’ baseball games.
- Fishing boat attire runs toward jeans and T-shirts, but sweatpants and shirts are also worn. Sweatpants decorated with the words ALASKA OCEAN running up one leg were popular during the 2007 season. They were worn in leisure time as well as under coveralls during work hours. The pants were available, along with T-shirts, jackets, ball caps, and other attire, in the ship’s store.
- date made
- 2007
- Associated Date
- 2007
- maker
- Jerzees
- ID Number
- 2007.0178.12
- catalog number
- 2007.0178.12
- accession number
- 2007.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Factory Processor’s Bump Hat
- Description
- The factory inside a large trawler like the Alaska Ocean is filled with equipment for filleting, processing, freezing, and packing enormous quantities of fish. Workers are trained in safety procedures and also wear protective headgear and earplugs as they work. While not required to wear certified safety helmets like the fishermen on the weather deck, they wear bump hats molded from high-density polyethylene for protection from minor bumps and bruises.
- This yellow bump hat was worn by Thelma McFarland, a fish processor, who was working her third season aboard the Alaska Ocean in 2007. She wore it over a disposable hairnet, which covered and held her hair in place, a requirement for maintaining sanitary conditions in the factory. There are typically four factory shifts, and the bump hats are color-coded according to each shift—blue for A, yellow for B, green for C, and orange for D shift. The color-coding allows managers to quickly assess the number of workers that will be needed on extra kicker shifts. The lead managers in each area wear red bump hats.
- date made
- 2007
- Associated Date
- 2007
- used
- McFarland, Thelma
- maker
- Bullard
- ID Number
- 2007.0178.13
- catalog number
- 2007.0178.13
- accession number
- 2007.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Protective Sleeves
- Description
- These vinyl sleeves are worn from the wrist to just above the elbow by people working in the factory aboard the trawler Alaska Ocean. Worn tucked into work gloves, the sleeves help keep a worker’s forearms dry. The company supplies such sleeves, which are cleaned frequently and reused. An estimated 200 pairs of sleeves were stocked aboard the Alaska Ocean during the 2007 season. The Alaska Ocean operates in the North Pacific and the Bering Sea.
- date made
- 2007
- Associated Date
- 2007
- maker
- Grundens
- ID Number
- 2007.0178.15
- catalog number
- 2007.0178.15
- accession number
- 2007.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Factory Processor’s Gloves
- Description
- Despite automation of basic fish processing functions like gutting and filleting, there is still a lot of handwork to be done aboard a factory trawler like the Alaska Ocean. And work around cold water, fresh fish, and heavy machinery means that gloves are a crucial part of a factory worker’s outfit.
- These heavy vinyl gloves were worn by a female fish processor during the summer fishing season in 2007. An estimated 1200 to 1400 pairs of these gloves were being used, cleaned, and reused aboard the Alaska Ocean in 2007.
- In addition to these heavy work gloves, the onboard laundry operation oversaw the distribution of 5,000 pairs of lighter rubber gloves, 800 pairs of cotton gloves, and 1200 pairs of wool gloves. The crew working in the freezer hold, known as the “pain cave,” wore thick, insulated gloves, and lab workers used disposable gloves when conducting tests on products for quality control.
- date made
- 2007
- worn
- 2007
- ID Number
- 2007.0178.16
- catalog number
- 2007.0178.16
- accession number
- 2007.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Factory Processor’s Boots
- 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Factory Processor’s Apron
- Description
- This vinyl bib apron was worn by fish processor Thelma McFarland over her coveralls and rain pants during her work shifts aboard the factory trawler Alaska Ocean in the summer of 2007. Processors like McFarland stand at long tables or conveyor belts and encounter considerable water and fish parts as they work. Processors typically wear aprons of one sort of another for protection.
- Although the on-board laundry crew takes care of cleaning workers’ coveralls, rain pants, gloves, and plastic sleeves, each worker is responsible for cleaning his or her apron. McFarland, who is about 5 feet tall, adjusted her apron to suit her small frame by cutting off the lower portion. She also personalized it by writing her name in permanent marker across the bib.
- date made
- 2007
- used
- 2007
- used
- McFarland, Thelma
- ID Number
- 2007.0178.18
- catalog number
- 2007.0178.18
- accession number
- 2007.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Alaska Ocean Coveralls
- 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Factory Processor’s Rain Pants
- Description
- Fish processors aboard trawlers like the Alaska Ocean wear waterproof pants over their coveralls and other clothing to protect themselves from the water and fish slime that are constant companions in the factory. This pair is dark blue, the same as those worn by deck hands. These pants are small and were worn by processor Thelma McFarland in the summer 2007 season.
- date made
- 2007
- used
- 2007
- used
- McFarland, Thelma
- maker
- Helly Hansen
- ID Number
- 2007.0178.21
- catalog number
- 2007.0178.21
- accession number
- 2007.0178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center