To Wear or Not to Wear
antique & vintage fashions
I think that there
will forever be a battle between conservative and liberals. Sadly, for we
middle–of–the–roaders, it seems the most vocal people are either on the far
right or the far left. And no, I’m not talking about battles in Washington,
D.C., I’m talking about folks the field of costume!
Those outside the world of historic fashion wouldn’t dream, I’m sure,
that such a subject could inspire such heated arguments and debates, but
indeed, it does. The question is, and has been since the 1940s or so: Should
historic clothing be worn? (Before this time, museums, scholars, and
collectors alike thought nothing of having period garments modeled for
photographs and lectures.)
The liberals are mostly folks who collect items from the turning of the
century through the 1970s or so. These are people who are generally in love
with the fashions of another era, and wish they could wear them everyday.
Since most people can’t get away with wearing an Edwardian dress to work day
in and day out, the folks in this camp must usually be content wearing their
favorite fashions only once in a great while. (I personally know some
collectors of 1950s and forward fashions who do wear vintage styles
everyday, however.)
The conservatives are mostly scholarly–types who work at museums. They
are interested not just in beauty and style, but in the historical meaning
behind fashions, and what existing historic clothes can tell us about people
of the past. Therefore, they desire to preserve clothing by all means
possible. A small minority of them are also obsessed with “giving more
dignity” and “getting more respect” for their field, which sometimes
translates (for them) into encouraging skyrocketing auction prices and
banning any wearing of--and sometimes even the display of--period clothing.
The rest of us (that includes myself) are somewhere in the middle. We
can understand, and have respect for, both ways of thinking, and believe
that a moderate approach is probably best. Most of us will avoid having
pieces from our collection worn, but, on occasions when we feel it will
probably further the cause of historic clothing best, are willing to allow
it to happen.
When I began writing my series of books on collectible fashions, I was
sharply attacked for showing most of the fashions on real, live, human
beings—despite the fact that I included cautionary notes in all my books,
advising that the greatest care was taken with the garments photographed,
and that the general wearing of historic clothing was not to be generally
recommended, since it does (there’s no question about it!), speed the
deterioration process.
I felt (and still do feel), that showing historic clothing on people
(with properly undergarments and of a size that does not threaten to
overly–strain the clothing), shows it much more accurately than any
mannequin display I have yet to see. I know of no one who has the
streamlined, perfect body of a mannequin. To show how clothes really looked
on our ancestors, I do believe they must be seen on human beings. (This is
very similar to the problem of fashion plates verses period photographs.
Only period photos can really show what fashions of the period were like on
real people—that tummies bulged, that bustles sagged, that corsets caused
little rolls of fat to appear....)
On the other hand, I also strongly believe that every time a garment is
worn, a risk is being taken, and the garment may rip or tear. In addition,
body oils will speed the process of deterioration. But I also know that any
handling of garments provides the very same risks, although usually to a
slightly lesser degree. There are also some garments I would never dream of
putting onto a person because they are too fragile or historically
important.
Balancing these facts, as I see them, there are no easy answers. I
think it is perfectly acceptable to wear clothing if it is being
photographed for posterity or for teaching purposes—but there are those
who’d disagree with me. As for the wearing of period clothing for more
personal reasons (the fun of Victorian teas, for example), I’d be much more
cautious.
There is another factor to consider, too, and that is condition. If a
garment is already in not–so–hot shape, and it is recognized that the
garment is not in any real way unique or historically important, is it
really so awful to wear it for fun? My answerer would be no—but again, many
people will disagree with me. They might feel, for example, that laypeople
are not trained to know what good condition is, or what is rare or
important.
So, really, there are no good answers for collectors, except to take
all the facts into consideration and use their best judgment and conscious.
I will probably take a lot of flak for writing this article. But my
agenda is not to push any one viewpoint, but to extend an opportunity for
folks who might not normally consider the idea of wearing “old clothes”
objectionable in any respect, to stop and consider their position.
Possibly there will be some of you who are dying to dash
me off an
email
and set me straight on many points. Please
feel free to do so; any emails received on this subject will be posted to
this site.
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Responses
"I just read your article on
whether to wear vintage clothing or not :) Although I'm probably a bit more
liberal on the subject of wearing, I do think whether to don an antique
garment really boils down to common sense. I enjoy wearing my collection to
Victorian and Edwardian costumed events, my authentic outfits run from the
late 1850's to the 1910's and try to wear originals as much as a I can
including shoes, undies, gloves and hats. I'm not the smallest person in the
world at 5'9" with 44-34-46 measurements and a size 10 shoe but use common
sense whether an item is wearable for me or not.
I think what conservators are worried about, are the unknowledgeable
people who buy an antique dress for a special occasion and inadvertently
ruin it through lack of knowledge proper undergarments and generally
forgetting they are wearing a vintage garment. These people tend to forget
that you can't do the latest dance and swing your arms about in a cuirass
bodice bustle dress. I don't think there is anything wrong about wearing
antique clothing provided you are very familiar with the subject of costume.
There are some things that are in good condition and are in my size that I
won't wear like my corsets. Being 100+ years old, they can't take the stress
of holding in a body as they could when they were new.
When I wear my collection, there are several factors I take into
account before deciding whether a garment is wearable for me or not:
1) What size it is. I know my measurements to a "T" and also corset, so I
will wear something if it is exactly my size or slightly bigger. Most people
don't know there measurements properly and don't feel like corseting.
2)What kind of fabric it is. I won't wear delicate china silks, taffetas
which show stress tears or thin delicate cottons but I don't see what is
wrong with wearing wools, heavy weight satins, sturdy cottons, etc.
3)What condition it's in. I never wear any silk/taffeta which has been
tinloaded (showing those little tears) or anything that is barely hanging
together.
4)What activity I will be doing in my antique outfit. For more genteel
activities such as Victorian tea/dinner or walking about in a garden, you
can get away with more delicate outfits such as the silks, for longer events
or waking about all day the sturdier fabrics such as wool, cotton, etc are
more practical.
5)What will the weather be like? If it's going to be a nice sunny day, I'll
wear my nicer/ more finer fabrics, if it's going to rain or in winter, I
won't wear anything that will run and tend to wear the sturdy black
wool/cotton outfits.
I also resent this idea that most conservators have against collectors who
also wear their treasures thinking that we are a bunch of heathens ready to
ruin artifacts, if it was up to most museum curators, everything in the
world would be wrapped up in acid free paper and stored away in darkened
rooms! I'm all for preserving the past for future generations but life is
too short to hide everything away and not enjoy it. There is nothing like
wearing a 100 year old dress, it's like stepping back in time. You actually
get to feel what the woman felt that originally wore the garment and how she
must have moved in it, something a museum mannequin cannot do."
Lei
corsetsandcrinolines.com
"On the "To wear or not to wear" issue, I've heard and debated the very
same arguments regarding antique bicycles for a number of years, and now all
of a sudden Leila and I are resurrecting similar arguments about whether she
should wear this dress or not! Many of these old machines are now quite
fragile, rare, and valuable (like the finer dresses, some example are
$20k+). Some bicycle collectors never get on their machines. Others ride
them regularly. Like you, I fall somewhere in the middle. So, herewith is my
opinion, applicable to clothing as much as bicycles.
--What the original designers and fabricators have in mind? Did they intend
for their wares to be displayed only behind plate glass? Ha! I think it is
honoring and respectful to enjoy them as they were intended, which means
"put them on." Every time I get on my 1885 Rudge I feel like I'm in the
presence of those who lovingly crafted her, as well as John B. Howell of
Wilkes Barre, Penn., the original owner of this bicycle. And I assure you,
they're smiling and applauding.
--I believe these original designers also intended for their creative
produce to endure; to me, one of the most charming aspects of 19th-c. life
in general is that nothing of quality was meant to be disposable! Hence,
while it's fine to enjoy them in vivo, it's also paying respect to our
forebears to value and guard them against harm to the greatest extent
possible.
--The very finest or rarest examples probably should probably be preserved
so that future generations may study and appreciate them, and use them as
design exemplars for restoration and reproduction. In the case of bicycles,
there are very few remaining truly original machines with correct metal
plating, paint work, pin-striping, and accessories. Like clothing, these
things DO degrade with use. It is up to us to be intelligent and sensitive
as to what particular items should really be carefully preserved. I know I
can say that in the bicycling community there are fewer and fewer people
around who would abuse or neglect the prime examples. For one thing, the
increasing rarity and value almost guarantees that the only people who own
them are careful. I would presume it's a similar situation with the finer
examples of vintage clothing.
We are just beginning a new chapter in our "amazing journey" into the past,
and it's a joy to have knowledgeable, experienced players like yourself to
guide and spur us onwards and upwards. Thanks for all your hard work!
Dave Walker & Leila Vale
Boulder, Colorado
(c) 2000 by Kristina Harris
04/21/2006