Doris Mercy Willmott was born in May 1896 in Stamford Hill, London, the eldest of three daughters of Albert and Minnie Willmott. The family lived in various parts of north London until the beginning of the First World War, when they moved to Redhill in Surrey. It was in Redhill that Doris met her future husband, Frederick John (Jack) Bennett. Jack had met Eric Mercy, a cousin of Minnie’s, in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and visited the Wilmotts with him whilst on leave from France. Although Jack Bennett returned to Melbourne in March 1919, he and Doris continued to correspond and they were engaged in March 1923. She came to Melbourne on her own, and was married in the Congregational Church in Canterbury on 23 December 1923. By 1931 Doris and Jack and their three sons - John Willmott, Winfield Robert Curtis and Peter Reginald Dane - moved to 21 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn but moved back to his father’s home, Therapia, 2 (now 6) Hepburn Street, Auburn, shortly before his father’s death. In 1937, the Bennett family moved back to the United Kingdom, spending the war years in Uxbridge and Torquay. The family returned to Melbourne in October 1946, after the deaths of Doris’ parents. The family lived at 12 Stanhope Grove, Camberwell and 51 The Ridge, Canterbury before Jack died in February 1952. After this Doris moved to 12 Stanley Grove, Canterbury, her home until c. 1970 when she moved to 25 Corhampton Road, North Balwyn. She died in May 1980 in Princeton Nursing Home, 3 Bellett Street, Camberwell. (Adapted from notes provided by Sue Barnett, the donor).The collection of evening clothes owned and worn by Doris Mercy Bennett, of which this item is one, date from the 1930s and may have been purchased in Australia or in the United Kingdom. Each of the items, apart from the evening dress, which has a few minor tears in the lace, is of fine quality and evidences Doris Bennett’s love of glamour and style. While the evening dress and the mantilla are of the same fabric, the two capes might have been worn with the dress as alternative fashion accessories. None of the items has a maker’s mark, however each displays evidence of fine dressmaking skills. It is however probable that the two fitted capes were commercially made.Black silk chiffon or georgette fitted evening cape,let entirely covered in silver metal rectangles and black sequins. The cape gives the appearance of being joined at the front, however it is made in one piece. The cape has open scalloped sections bordering the lower band of silver metal rectangles. The cape was owned and worn by Doris Mercy Bennett (nee Willmott) [1896-1980], and donated to the Society by her grandaughter. evening wear, capelets, doris bennett (nee wilmott), women's clothing

Sample of sequin decoration.Black jet sequins stitched onto a black netting.black sequin, black netting, elsie doris whitten

Piece of black lace oversewn with black sequins.handcrafts, lacemaking

Piece black net heavily decorated with black sequins and jet beads.costume accessories, female

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories. This cocktail dress is one of a number of items donated to the Fashion Collection by Marion Blatchley.Plum coloured silk taffeta underdress with a black sequinned overdress and belt.women's clothing, australian fashion - 1970s, cocktail dresses

A hat pin is a decorative pin for holding a hat to the head, usually by the hair that was styled in a Chignon or French Roll style and usually worn in a pair. They are typically around 20 cm in length, with the pinhead being the most decorated part. The women of the pioneer families liked to dress up in their best hand made dresses and fashionable hats for Church gatherings and special occasions as a relief from the daily chores of hand washing, ironing with flat irons and cooking over open fires. 1 long, lady's, steel, hat pin , padded and covered in black linen decorated with spherical shaped black sequins bonnets, hats, veils, scarves, moorabbin, bentleigh, brighton, cheltenham, early settlers, pioneers, clasps, hairdressing, combs, steel pins, jewellery

Purchased in Hong Kong by Mrs Myrtle Bennett in 1960 and given to Barbara Gardiner in 1980 and worn at three dinner dances.1960 Black wool evening top or bodice oversewn with black sequins and beads on hem - lined in rayon. Full length. Zip on back.costume, female

Black beaded cape, triangular with scalloped edging. Ruffled neck and wide lace ruffle around hem, edged with a line of black sequins and beads. Swirling/meandering beaded design on main body, with net insertions.cape, lewis & co. & folkestone

This fan belonged to Julia Charlotte Sargood (Charlie), youngest daughter of Sir Frederick Sargood and only child of Lady Julia Sargood.Black carved wood fan with black net. Three flowers with leaves are embroidered in black thread and small black sequins. Carving on black wooden frame is a floral design. One black metal ring joins the fan at its base.rippon lea, sargood family, sargood, charlotte

Hat pins came in with an assortment of itemsTwo hat pins, black tear drop shape covered in black sequins. One 16cm long, the other 21cm long. These pins would have been worn as a pair, back and front, to hold a very large hat in the 1920's.costume accessories, hat accessories

The capelet was owned by Bridget Fitzgerald (nee Shannon) who emigrated to Australia from Ireland and subsequently lived in the Victorian country town of Tilden. Bridget died in about 1906 and is buried in the Kyneton cemetery. The capelet was passed on by descent to her granddaughter.Well-provenanced evening cape, worn by Bridget Fitzgerald in the Central Victorian Goldfields district.A black satin shoulder capelet covered with fine silk tulle, embroidered with jet passementerie and black sequins. The capelet which when open is circular is joined at the front by eyelets and hooks. The second photo includes a photo of the donor, Mrs Joan Carr, with the cape at the time of its donation.bridget fitzgerald, bridget shannon, women's clothing, australian fashion - 1890s, capelets, capes

Hat decoration with white sequins and black featherscostume accessories, hat accessories

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.Late Victorian black cotton bodice with narrow sleeves. The creator of the bodice has made extensive use of beading at the front and on the sleeves. The bodice is unusual in that it includes an overlay at the front of black sequined tulle over a cream silk insert. The bodice has a black velvet waistband. The edging of the bodice includes pin tucking. Two long 'swallow tails' of lace (sic) hang from the neck of the bodice at the front. The bodice was owned by one of the donor's maternal ancestors.australian fashion, women's clothing, bodices, lace, victorian fashion, micky ashton

During the reign of Queen Victoria, whose long and conspicuous grief over the death of her husband, Prince Albert, appropriate dress for men and women for the period of mourning was strictly prescribed and rigidly adhered to. Widows were expected to wear special clothes to indicate that they were in mourning for up to four years after the death, although a widow could choose to wear such attire for the rest of her life. To change the costume earlier was considered disrespectful to the deceased and, if the widow was still young and attractive, suggestive of potential sexual promiscuity. Those subject to the rules were slowly allowed to re-introduce conventional clothing at specific time periods; such stages were known by such terms as "full mourning", "half mourning", and similar descriptions. For half mourning, muted colours such as lilac, grey and lavender could be introduced.. Special caps and bonnets, usually in black or other dark colours, went with these ensembles. There was special mourning jewellery, often made of jet. By the late 20th century, this no longer applied, and black had been widely adopted by women in cities as a fashionable colour. A lady's full length black fine wool dress with pleated bodice and skirt. A beaded detachable collar sits over the dress forming a V shape back and front and is attached by hooks and eyes on right shoulder . Centre front from neck to point is a row of small black circular sequins. clothing, dressmaking, craftwork, cheltenham, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin, bentleigh

Ladies black boned bodice of brocade fabric with floral pattern. Crossover front opening with internal centre fastened with thirteen metal hooks and eyes.Crossover section fastened on LHS with seven metal hooks and eyes covered by overlapping panel. Front of bodice is decorated with dense patterns of small black beads and black sequins. There are three vertical panels of beading. The centre panel is bordered with gathered ruffles of black ribbon (one cm wide). The overlapping edges of the side panels of the bodice are edged with gathered ruffles of black ribbon. The front panels of the bodice are lined with black cotton fabric. The back of the bodice is plain. The bodice has a straight edge at waist level with a cotton tape hem. The lower section of the bodice is boned with ten fabric cased bones distributed across the front and back, attached vertically from the waistband. A fabric belt (three cms wide) is attached at centre back four cm above the waist, inside the bodice. The left hand end of the belt has a metal buckle ( 3cmX2cm). The bodice has a 7cm stand-up collar fastened above the left shoulder with three metal hooks and eyes. The collar is densely decorated with small black beads and black sequins. At each shoulder is an epaulette decorated with beads and sequins and edged with one cm gathered ribbon ruffles. The long sleeves are shaped at the elbows with four cm beaded cuffs fastened with two metal hooks and eyes. Above the cuff is a four cm fabric flounce, a row of gathered ribbon ruffle (one cm) and a three cm row of beading and sequins. Sleeves are unlined.costume, female, ladies black beaded boned bodice.

Black full-length crepe evening dress (.1) with bronze-coloured sequins on bodice; asymmetric neckline and draping. Matching black reticule (.2) with sequins.evening dress, sequins, 1940s

The Fashion & Design collection of the Kew Historical Society includes examples of women’s, men’s, children’s and infants’ clothing from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Items in the collection were largely produced for, or purchased by women in Melbourne, and includes examples of outerwear, protective wear, nightwear, underwear and costume accessories.Three-piece outfit comprising: three quarter length one-piece black silk cocktail dress with an outer skirt of black tulle; black net bolero embroidered with pink sequins; and black silk circular cap embroidered with pink sequins women's clothing, evening dresses, australian fashion, evening ensembles

Lady's black bonnet made of silk. Edges (sides) tilt upwards and the front is peaked. Black flowers, ribbon and feathers are displayed at the back and plastic and wire black flowers with white stamens at the front Two long pieces of ribbon fall at sides to tie under chin. Sequins at the R.H. sand. Whole hat is a wire structure.hat costume-female headwear

This evening dress was presumably worn by Mrs Marjorie McKeown (nee Ford) in the Orbost district in the 1940s-1950s. A full-length black evening dress. The arms and top of the bodice are made from mauve/puce coloured lace which has small flowers trimmed with beads. At the bottom of the dress is a broad trinm of puce coloured lace which has been bordered at the top with sequins. The dress has a zip at the side of the bodice. The main fabric is possibly rayon.Van Rothcostume-famale evening-dress

In the 17th century young girls were taught embroidery as a necessary skill for marriage, this also helped them make very beautiful handbags. By the late 18th century, fashions in Europe were moving towards a slender shape and women wanted purses that would not be bulky or untidy in appearance, so reticules were designed. Reticules were made of fine fabrics like silk and velvet, with wrist strap often decorated with pearls, sequins, beads and embroidery. A lady's black velvet, silk lined, evening bag with draw-string and hand made tassels. The bag is decorated with beads in a floral designmoorabbin, brighton, early settlers, pioneers, cheltenham, craft work, dressmaking

Clothing. Rounded neckline at the back, deeply scooped at front. Back fastens with 12 metal hooks and eyes. Back hemline is slightly shirred to nip in the 67 cm waistline, which is peaked at the cntre front. ''Leg-o-mutton'' type sleeves are gathered at the shoulder, and above the elbow, and finished with an 8 cm band of beading and sequin embroidery and a 4.5 cm black silk frill, and a frill of black lace, with an exquisite fruit and floral woven pattern. The neckline is trimmed with a deep lace and sequined silk overlay. Three velvet ''rosettes'' trim the centre front of the overlay. The silk bodice is shirred from just below the shoulders, to give fullness for the bustline sequins, tiny beads, velvet rosettes, silk chiffon frills.costume, female, black silk boned bodice with lace

Ladies collar, with a deep 16 cm peaked front. A round neckline outlined with jet sequins. Outer edge of collar has three peaked sections each outlined with three rows of jet sequins. Outer edge of collar is scalloped. A floral design, on net is sequined and beaded. Another scalloped panel of three rows of jet sequins, separates a net section, scattered with sequins and also has six 3 cm diameter circles of sequins.costume, female, collar

The letters of the completed banner were made by different churches within in the presbytery of Gippsland and spell a sentence, presumably, "BUILD YOUR CHURCH LORD!" Orbost was one of the churches that had the finished banner on display. 24 small banners with tabs at the top of each for hanging on a rod. 19 have large blue letters appliqued on them. Twenty two of the banners are roughly square and two are smaller and oblong. Three have no letters and are used as spacers in the four word sentence that the letters make. The banners are decorated with rural and coastal images. BN068.1 "B" with an embroidered boat with the number 1 on the sail. BN068.2 "U" fabric paint words: "LOCH POOWONG east poowong nyora strezlecki kernang athlone" BN068.3 "I" "Korumburra" BN068.4 "L" with a pelican, fishing boat with a net, shells and sand BN068.5 "D" with the UCA emblem and "BUNYIP Garfield Longwarry" BN068.6 "Y" BN068.7 "O" with fabric paint flag, ram, road and trees and a cow BN068.8 "U" BN068.9 "R" with green and yellow wattle in fabric paint BN068.10 "C" with ric-rac round the letter and three churches appliqued in the top left corner BN068.11 "H" edged with pale blue metallic fabric paint BN068.12 "U" with sunrise over the sea with gold chain sunbeams and sequins BN068.13 "R" with fine blue embroidery at each corner and only two tabs BN068.14 "C" with appliqued boat, sky and sun BN068.15 "H" with a black swan with a red beak BN068.16 "L" with appliqued and fabric painted scene of a beach, hills and city smoke on the horizon BN068.17 "O" with painted corn cobs in each corner BN068.18 "R" with cows, hills, sheep and a sack BN068.19 "D" with machine embroidered church "St Matthews Yinnar", hands "Friendship", building "UCA Yinnar", chuch "Holy Innocents YINNAR STH" "(Californian RED WOOD)", tree "BIG TREE grows at Christ Church Boolarra" BN068.20 "!" with fabric brown cow in grass BN068.21 spacer with appliqued house, bushes and barn BN068.22 spacer with appliqued sun with ribbon rays and black white and brown figures BN068.23 & BN068.24 spacer with a small UCA red dove in the centre "B U I L D Y O U R C H U R C H L O R D !"uniting church adult fellowship

The full costume used traditionally by ladies in the 16th to 19th century AD. Now used in Greek dances, parades and theatrical performances as a traditional costume.Navy embroidered apron with sequins and coloured stitching. Black lining on reverse side. Part "B" of a four piece costume.lady's costume, apron, greek, βλαχοπούλα, ποδιά, στολή

This jacket is by the prolific spinner and weaver Jean Inglis. It has been woven with a warp of commercially brought wool & a weft of hand spun Corriedale. It is completed in a Swedish lace style of weaving. The highlight of the jacket is the blue section of fabric on the top left shoulder of the wearer, which works down to the bottom right hip. This pattern looks like long thin individual separate sections of fabric stitched to the jacket; however, only one section of fabric has been added. A dying technique has been utilised to give the appearance of multiple sections. This Japanese dyeing technique is called Shibori, “to wring, squeeze or press". It is a manual tie-dyeing technique, which produces several different patterns on fabric. The specific pattern on this fabric is known as Kumo Shibori. It utilises bound resistance. This technique involves folding sections of the cloth very finely and evenly. Then the cloth is bound in very close sections. The result is a very specific spider-like design. This design requires very precise technique. Specific to this jacket, the fabric for the dyed section was made with the same fabric as the rest of the jacket. A section of the excess fabric was concertina wrapped around a 100mm pipe and tied up before dying. This gives the consistent straight blue lines, with no bleed from the dye. The sections were then sewed into the jacket with the occasional sequin added for additional decoration and glamour. The jacket won 1st prize at the 1988 Geelong Show. Jean was assisted by the dress maker Ruth Randell with some of the design and sewing. Jean always found sewing “a bit of a bore”. The jacket also has an attached swing tag. It was added to provide information to the judges at the Melbourne Show on how the jacket was created. It comes complete with Jean’s self-proclaimed terrible handwriting. It was donated to the National Wool Museum in 2021.Cream singled breasted jacket with no overlap. The jacket has no column of buttons for fastening, or lapels. It is designed to be plain, to not draw attention. The jacket is highlighted by the Shibori dyed waves on the top left shoulder of the wearer, which works down to the bottom right hip. This blue dyed section of fabric is dotted with the occasional blue sequin. Internally, the jacket features a white silk lining for comfort. The jacket ends in a straight cut hem, including at the cuffs. The jacket has an attached swing tag. The swing tag is cream with a printed thin black boarder. Within the boarder, handwriting in black ink is found. It has a hole punch in the top left corner of the swing tag for attaching to the jacket.hand spun, hand weaving, textile design, textile production, shibori, kumo shibori

Hand sewn and machined by Elizabeth Webber nee Eddy1920s Black silk brocade gown lined with sateen trimmed with jet sequins and beads. It has a matching black silk brocade shirt front with high collar neck lined with cotton and false bolero lined with silk. Also matching is a black silk brocade vest.costume, female

exhibition, national gallery of victoria, ngv international, fashion, designer, dresses, black, silver, sequins