This fall, the New-York Historical Society presents Real clothes, real lives: 200 years of what women wore, the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection. The engaging exhibition showcases garments and accessories from the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection, an archive of the everyday clothing of American women—a subject often neglected in museum exhibitions. On view from September 27, 2024 – June 22, 2025, in the Joyce B. Cowin Gallery of Women’s history, real clothes, real lives delves into the fascinating history, economics, and real stories behind everyday fashion and reveals how women have worked and dressed over two centuries through examples from the Smith College collection as well as objects and images from New-York Historical. From a well-worn Depression-era house dress to a college girl’s psychedelic micro mini to an Abercrombie & Fitch wool suit bought off-the-rack in NYC in 1917 that was remade into a Relief uniform worn behind enemy lines in France, Real clothes examines how women have influenced, adapted, and defied societal expectations through the clothes they chose to make, purchase, and alter.

“Clothing has always played a crucial role in women’s lives, reflecting their evolving roles, identities, and social conditions,” said Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of New-York Historical. “This exhibition celebrates the impressive history and untold narratives embedded in our clothing. We hope visitors come away with a deeper understanding of the intersection of fashion, culture, and women’s enduring spirit”.

“Each thread and length of fabric on view in this exhibition provides insightful clues about the women who wore these garments”, said Anna Danziger Halperin, associate director of the Center for Women’s History at New-York Historical. “By shining a light on the diverse roles women have played and the clothes they wore, we hope to underscore the social and cultural shifts that continue to shape our past. We are delighted to present these garments as tangible connections to the rich and complex history of women”.

“If we acknowledge garments of the past that have been overlooked, we honor the lives of the women who wore them”, said Kiki Smith, director of the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection. “In the words of the Spanish writer Antonio Muñoz Molina, ‘We see things if we know they exist’. This exhibition celebrates the significance of these everyday garments and reveals why they are important to save”.

Exhibition highlights

The Smith College Historic Clothing Collection was first established in 1979, guided by costume design professor Kiki Smith’s vision. Today, the collection consists of more than 4,000 garments and accessories depicting the everyday clothing choices accessible to working American women.

Divided into five sections, the exhibition begins with “Home: All Work, No Pay,” an homage to the practical garments worn to perform daily household tasks. Many of these garments bear signs of repeated use—worn cuffs, stains, patched holes—telling stories of women’s daily toil, such as a black-and-white cotton work dress (ca. 1865-1870) in a ‘mourning print’ that indicates it was worn by a widow; a red cotton chambray apron (ca. 1895-1915); and a portable lockstitch sewing machine (ca. 1890), an innovation that was hailed as a technological marvel that would “liberate” women when it became widely available in the 1850s.

Service: capable and accomplished spotlights uniforms, clothing that strips away individuality by fusing the wearer with their profession. Items on view include a housemaid’s worn-down pair of boots (ca. 1920), a bubblegum pink waitress uniform (ca. 1955), and a maternity uniform worn by a McDonald’s fast-food worker (ca. 1976).

Public dress: in good taste demonstrates how women in the 19th and 20th centuries of all social classes did their best to follow written and unwritten rules for public dressing that were specific to their class, age, race, religion, and locality. Items in this section include a bustle-style day dress(1875-80) that was patched and remade multiple times, showcasing the resourcefulness and determination of a working woman during that era. An early 1970s pantsuit made by Wrangler, a company known for denim menswear, highlights the era when coordinated pantsuits became a style option for women in the workplace.

Rites of passage: what she wore underscores the important role clothing plays in celebrating significant life events and how gendered traditions and social conventions have changed over time. Mourning earrings and a pin set made from materials like enamel, onyx, and human hair highlight the strict dress codes of mourning in the 19th century that many women followed. A contemporary quinceañera dress (2019) reveals how a celebrant marking her 15th birthday with the party common in Latin American cultures broke with the tradition of wearing a ball gown style dress and jeweled tiara by choosing a short dress worn with white Converse sneakers and a floral crown instead.

The exhibition’s final section, Pushing the boundaries: rebel wear, embodies defiance against societal norms, depicting moments when women challenged restrictive rules through their clothing choices and actions. Whether protesting or defying traditional gender expectations, these garments symbolize the reshaping of societal standards. Items on view include a traditional men’s gray, two-piece suit (1920-1928), which was custom-made for an individual assigned female at birth. The suit is distinguished from men’s suits of the era by the small waist and deeply curved pleats. Also on view is a yellow micro mini dress from the late 1960s hand made by a first-year college student, an outfit meant to challenge the restrictive boundaries set by a society being rocked by the civil rights, women’s liberation, and anti-war movements.

Programming

Exhibition related programs will take place throughout the show’s run. Check the calendar for updates. Private group tours can also be arranged throughout the exhibition.

A family guide to the exhibition will be available to young visitors, and throughout the exhibition, a host of family programs will take place, including a weekly Cross Stitch Circle and story times with paper doll crafts. Living History programs during the year explore the women behind the clothes and accessories on view. On October 19 and 20 during Museum hours, visitors can watch as a 19th century gown is made from start to finish over the course of two days. Visit the family calendar for additional details.

Support

Major support for Real clothes, real lives: 200 years of what women wore at New-York Historical is provided by the Coby Foundation. Support for the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection’s production of the exhibition is provided by the Coby Foundation, Brigitte Vosse, Marta Rudolph, the MAE Foundation, Smith College, and Friends of the Historic Clothing Collection.

Exhibitions at New-York Historical are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, the Evelyn & Seymour Neuman Fund, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.

Rebecca Shea and Kiki Smith, Curators for the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection; Anna Danziger Halperin and Keren Ben-Horin, Curators for the Center for Women’s History.