CHICAGO – The Chicago History Museum is set to unveil a significant new exhibition that delves into the profound narrative woven through generations of attire. Titled “Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective,” the exhibition is scheduled to open to the public on June 21, 2025, offering visitors a unique lens through which to examine the city’s past and broader historical trends as reflected in clothing.
This retrospective showcases a remarkable selection of 70 rarely seen objects drawn from the museum’s extensive collection. Carefully curated, the items range from the opulent and formal to the practical and everyday, providing a comprehensive look at how individuals have presented themselves and navigated their world through dress. Included in this diverse array are glamorous gowns that once graced formal events, sharp suits embodying periods of changing masculinity and professional norms, humble housedresses that tell stories of domestic life, and contemporary sneakers reflecting modern comfort and style.
Clothing as a Historical Tapestry
The central thesis of “Dressed in History” is an exploration of how clothing serves as a potent artifact, capturing material, social, and changing cultural values throughout history. Beyond mere aesthetics, garments reveal much about the economic conditions that influenced fabric availability and manufacturing techniques, the social structures that dictated dress codes for different classes and occasions, and the dynamic shifts in cultural attitudes towards modesty, gender roles, and self-expression.
Visitors will encounter pieces that illustrate technological advancements in textiles and production, alongside items that signify seismic social movements or pivotal moments in fashion’s dialogue with art and identity. The exhibition encourages reflection on how choices in dress – from the cut of a jacket to the fabric of a skirt, or the practicality of a shoe – are intrinsically linked to the historical context in which they were worn.
A Century of Collecting
A cornerstone of this retrospective is its celebration of 100 years of the museum’s costume collection. This centenary marks a significant milestone in preserving the wearable heritage of Chicago and beyond. Over the past century, the collection has grown into a vital repository of sartorial history, meticulously documenting changes in style, production, and social customs through physical objects.
The longevity and depth of the collection are a testament to sustained dedication and foresight. Building and maintaining such a rich archive requires continuous effort, and the exhibition pauses to acknowledge the collective contributions that have shaped it over its long history.
Honoring the Stewards
The exhibition explicitly recognizes the indispensable roles played by the donors, curators, and staff who have contributed to the costume collection’s development and stewardship. Donors, through their generous gifts of historical garments and accessories, form the foundation of the collection, entrusting their personal and familial histories to the museum’s care.
Curators have provided the expert knowledge and vision necessary to interpret, research, and organize these objects, transforming individual pieces into meaningful narratives. The museum’s dedicated staff, encompassing conservationists, registrars, educators, and more, ensure the collection’s preservation, accessibility, and presentation to the public. “Dressed in History” is, in part, a tribute to this enduring collaboration.
Preserving Chicago’s Stories Through Dress
Fundamentally, the costume collection serves a critical mission: to preserve wearable artifacts representing the diverse people and stories of Chicago. Clothing worn by Chicagoans from all walks of life – immigrants, laborers, socialites, artists, activists – holds within it personal narratives and reflects the broader history of the city’s multifaceted communities. Each garment can tell a story about an individual’s life, work, celebrations, and challenges, contributing to a richer, more nuanced understanding of Chicago’s past.
The exhibition highlights how even seemingly simple items of clothing can embody complex histories related to migration, industrialization, cultural identity, and social change within the urban landscape.
Visiting “Dressed in History”
The “Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective” offers a compelling journey through time, viewed through the intimate and revealing medium of clothing. Access to this special exhibition is designed to be readily available to all museum visitors, as admission to the exhibition is included with regular museum admission.
Opening on June 21, 2025, the exhibition invites the public to explore the intricate connections between fashion, history, and identity, and to appreciate the century of effort dedicated to preserving this unique collection at the Chicago History Museum.
