91¶ÌÊÓƵ

1897: A Presentation of Historical Dress

Graduating 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Costume Studies students showcase the structural silhouettes and bold designs of the late 1890s. Together they’ll model their reconstructions of clothing from 1897 and share the research, techniques, and hidden layers that went into creating their final outfits.

April 9 | 7:30pmÌý
Joseph Strug Concert Hall
tickets: , box office fees will apply
Sponsored by ALMA, Student Living in the Heart of Halifax

Marked by widespread social change and technological advancement, the 1890s gave rise to fashions that incorporated bold colours and structured silhouettes, and that offered woman, in particular, a range of new options and opportunities for self-expression.

By the final years of the decade, Canadian women attended a growing variety of jobs while wearing new office staples like separate shirtwaists and skirts and participated in an expanding range of sports and outdoor activities while dressed – still a little bit scandalously – in bloomers or knickerbockers (pants!). At the same time, designers of high-fashion daywear and eveningÌýstyles experimented with starch, horsehair, featherbone, spring steel, and reed to produce the era’s iconic hourglass silhouette and ever-changing variations of puffed sleeves.

This era offers exciting challenges and possibilities for reconstruction, and we are delighted to share the detailed recreations made by this year’s graduating Costume Studies class.

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