Here is the perfect addition to your fashion library as well as an amazing gift!

I don’t know why books that accompany exhibitions are called catalogues when they give us wonderful insights into our history….this book does that to perfection! It is the companion of the current (through July 27, 2025) exhibition at the Chicago History Museum. The exhibition features 70 pieces from the huge world class costume collection (over 50,000 items!) at CHM. Just a very small sample chosen by 4 past curators of the collection. It features a short essay by each of the curators.

The cover gives you a preview of what is housed in our extraordinary collection….from Abe Lincoln’s top hat to one of only three Paul Poiret Sorbet garments in the world (too fragile to be shown but the illustration is featured see below illustration) to a Judith Leiber minaudière featuring the iconic Marshall Field’s clock to Sally Rand’s fans! The reason for the book and exhibition is to celebrate the 50 years of the Costume Council!

About the Costume Council…..”Founded by Mrs. Philip K. Wrigley in April 1974, the purpose of the Costume Council is to support the Chicago History Museum as a leader in the documentation and interpretation of the history and the art of fashion. Through the Costume Council’s efforts, the Museum has been able to maintain and grow a thriving collection. The support the Council provides helps the Chicago History Museum care for, conserve, interpret, and display items in the costume collection to further our understanding of history through clothing. The Council also generously supports the Museum’s costume-based exhibitions and is proud to present what has grown to be one of the world’s premier collections, with pieces dating from the eighteenth century to present.”

Why you might ask is this personally meaningful to me, here is why….I’ve been involved (on and off) with the Costume Council for all of those 50 years serving in many roles from Acquisition Chair, to producing the hugely successful Donors Balls, to Historian and as a two term President of the group. But my involvement goes back even further….actually to before I was born, my mother’s first job when she came to Chicago was at the CHM where she worked with its first curator, Phyllis Healy. And guess what I worked with Mrs. Healy while I was in high school, my assignment, categorizing the glove collection!

My quote in the catalogue…

“Having been involved in most of the 50 year history of the Costume Council of CHM and having served as a two term president, I’ve seen many changes, many blockbuster exhibitions and various successful events…what remains is the deep rooted dedication of a group of enthusiastic members whose responsibility is to support the world class costume collection by fund raising and to preserve the collection’s visibility.  I am delighted to say this hasn’t wavered but has become stronger through the years.  Bravo Costume Council….bravo!”

As you know, I host the monthly nenasnotes The Fashion Book Club and have had three of the participating former curators talk about their books (not CHM publications)…and I had the pleasure to work with each of them while they were at CHM….Elizabeth Jachimowicz, Timothy Long and Petra Slinkard. I profiled their books on this blog! I also worked with Virginia Heaven both at CHM and as colleagues at Columbia College Chicago.

I was recently in conversation with Jessica Pushor, Collection Manager, and one of the editors of the catalogue, for one of our Book Club monthly meetings. Her extensive knowledge of fashion history and of this one of a kind collections is extraordinary. She is always very gracious in answering my research questions and hosting visiting designers and other notable fashion personalities.

I end by saying get the book and get to the Chicago History Museum to see the exhibition….cheers to the next 50 years!

The Dressed in History catalogue is now available to purchase, both in person at the Museum Store and online at this link: https://shop.chicagohistory.org/products/dressed-in-history

Links I think you will enjoy….

•Dressed in History website: https://www.chicagohistory.org/exhibition/dressed-in-history-a-costume-collection-retrospective/

•Past CHM costume exhibit catalogues online for free: https://www.chicagohistory.org/costume-exhibition-catalogues/

•View images of costume objects, photographs, and ephemera: https://images.chicagohistory.org/costume-and-textiles-collection/

•Research center information on the fashion archive at CHM: https://libguides.chicagohistory.org/costume