Costume Collection
The Ebell Costume Collection contains over 800 items of clothing, hats, shoes and accessories dating from the 1870s to the present which have been donated by Ebell members and members of the community. Selections from the Collection are exhibited at The Ebell on a periodic basis and The Ebell also hosts vintage fashion shows featuring the Collection.
In its early years, The Ebell Women’s Club had a practice of mounting theatrical events and pageants featuring their members. As a result, Ebell members donated clothing, hats and other items for use in their dramatic endeavors. Over time, the theatrical collection expanded into a full fledged collection of vintage clothing and accessories which the Ebell preserved, reflecting the members’ understanding of their place in history. The collection, spanning so many decades of societal change, provides a unique look at the evolution of women’s clothing, from Victorian and Edwardian blouses and dresses with back openings that require assistance for closure to the looser fitting garments of the Arts and Crafts movement and the Twenties, and proceeding to the return of tight fitting garments in the 1940s and 1950s. The costume committee’s mission is to catalogue, preserve and exhibit this unique collection.
For more information, please contact Denise Parga at club_inquiry@ebellofla.org
