A boudoir cap was popularly worn in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries In its original form, the boudoir cap was worn over undressed hair, It was designed to be worn in the privacy of the boudoir with negligees or nightwear.[andwas often made from lightweightfabrics such as muslin or net and trimmed with silk ribbon and lace. In the 1910s and 1920s, it was used to protect short hairstyles whilst sleeping.This item is an example of a piece of clothing no longer in fashion.Hand crocheted boudoir cap. Light blue thread crochet on top. Fine piece of fabric around centre. Blue and pink border. wire inserted into cap at sides.cap costume-female boudoir-cap handcrafts crochet sleepwear

Clothing. Camisole. Silk lace. Straight straps made from 8 cm wide lace strips attached to bodice. Made of one rectangular piece of fabric, with one seam on right side. Strip of eyelet lace Eyelets top and bottom edges of garment. No ribbon threaded through eyelets. Lace border on lower edge has small pointed peaks.costume, female, underwear

Royal blue rayon and silk short sleeved knee length dress. Back is made of two pieces with centre seam. Inverted pleat at centre 18cm above hem. Two vertical darts have been used on either side of the centre back (30cm). Both darts have been unstitched. Short set in sleeves. Front has bodice crossover to form V neck.15 cm crossover Midriff piece and skirt in one piece – straight. Bodice crossover pieces joined to midriff. Dull blue lace fabric lined with royal blue rayon, joined to midriff piece – layered horizontally with 4 tucks of 3cm showing. Attached to skirt. Skirt one piece with two knife pleats on either side of centre. LHS opening with 26cm metal zipper from 8cm below sleeve. Linen look fabric. Part of ensemble with 11400.525Created by ZANKO of Melbournecostume, female daywear, dress

Fichu is a term used replacing the kerchief or neckerchief and comes from the French. It was worn over the shoulders to preserve modesty for low necklines or to conceal the bodice hooks or laces used for closing. This hand-made Maltese lace fichu is exquisitely worked in silk. Judging by the photos provided it is quite large and would possible used to cover evening décolletage. It appears to be around 30cm in width and about 70cm in length and being silk would be quite warm for the lady wearing it and indicate social status and wealth. Maltese lace became very popular after being displayed at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. It began as a needle lace but Lady Hamilton Chichester imported lace makers from Genoa in the mid 1800s and converted the needle lace patterns to be worked on bobbins which made it quicker. The lace is worked on long thin lace pillows and usually includes the 8 pointed Maltese Cross in the pattern, it is made in narrow widths which are sewn together to make bigger pieces such as in this fichu. Another feature of Maltese lace is the “wheat ears” or in this case petals made of plaits or tallies. There is so much work in this piece as all of the flowers are worked so close together that they appear to be solid fabricThe Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929. This lace collection was owned and contributed to by four generations of Amess womenBobbin silk Maltese silk bobbin lace 6 petal tallies. Lace fichupackaged with note "Fichu Maltese Lace c 1865"janet amess lace collection, lace, churchill island, janet, amess, bobbin, maltese, silk, embroidery

Clothing. Infant's cream coloured satin silk bonnet. Embroidered sheaf of flowers on the back of the crown. Back edge trimmed with one cm lace. Front edge of bonnet has two triangular fold back tabs edged with lace. A pleated fabric frill is stitched across the top of the bonnet underneath the stitched down tabs.The front edge of the bonnet is trimmed with a double frill of white silk fabric. A fabric bow is attached at each front corner above satin silk ties (38 cms X 5 cms). Fully lined with silk fabric gathered into centre back. Circular piece of fabric stitched over gathering point.costume, children's, infant's baby bonnet

Clothing. Black silk-satin fabric, mid-calf length dress, gathered from the waistline. A black, pleated cummerbund encircles the waist, fastening at the left side with three metal hooks, and hand stitched loops. Long set in sleeveshave a fine piping around the arm holes, and have a hand stitched neatening to finish. Shoulder seams are also piped. A long, narrow collar of lace, bound in 2.5 cm satin edging, attaches almost to the waistline-finishing just 9 cm above the waist. A 'bib front' attached at the right side to the bodice lining, attached to the eaistline, and closing on the left hand shoulder side, with metal hooks, and hand stitched loops. Bodice closes over the top with a metal press-stud. Front bodice has three tiny pleats on each shoulder seam and gathers into the waistline seam. Fine georgette fabric, backed with fine net fabric, is with tiny glass beads, and forms the top of the 'bib front'. Fine beading of tiny beads outlines the high round neck. Larger glass beads and silky lace trim the lower 'bib front'. The lg sleeves are gathered lightly at the shoulder, which isoutlined with fine piping. Cut as a straight piece of fabric, a rectangular 'wing effect' at the wrist, is lightly gathered into a 13 cm deep lace cuff, fastening with two metal hooks, and hand-stitched eyes. Sleeves are lined with fine fabric.costume, female, black silk satin dress

Clothing. Deep cream silk centre piece, with scalloped edges - 18 cm x 16 cm. (Scallops 6.5 cm wide). Cream linen bobbin lace - (probably Brussells Lace) surrounds the silk-9cms deep at each corner, 3.5 cms deep at the sides. Fan shapes woven in the lace, emphasize the scalloped centrepiece. Flowers as in 11414.26 and 11414.30a and b, would suggest that this lace has been made by the same maker. Silk centrepiece is damaged, with some splitting of fabric.costume accessories, female, dark cream silk and lace handkerchief

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 silk damask outfit comprising a flared skirt and a short bodice. The high necked bodice reflects changing fashions at the turn of the 20th Century in that the silk fabric on the bosom is lightly gathered. The sleeves are pleated at the elbow. The skirt is lined with a black cotton lining. The neckline of the bodice includes a narrow band of pale cream lace. The outfit was owned by one of the donor's maternal ancestors.women's clothing, australian fashion - 1890s, mourning wear, micky ashton

An item forming part of a collection of costumes, photographs and documents relating to the Weir family who lived in a mansion, originally named Illapa, at 84 Princess Street, Kew, from c.1917 to 1950. This historically significant collection includes items relating to both George Weir (1866-1937), his wife Edith Mary Weir (1867-1948) and their children. George Weir attained national prominence in the mining industry, becoming General Manager of the North Broken Hill Silver Mining Company in 1903 (later renamed North Broken Hill Mining Company 1905-12, and North Broken Hill Ltd 1912-1988), and subsequently President of the Mine Owners Association. He was to remain General Manager of North Broken Hill Ltd until his retirement in 1926.This garment is part of a collection of women’s clothing, owned and worn by Edith Mary Weir (nee Betteridge) - born in Clare, South Australia 1867, died Kew 1948 - and also by her daughter. The garments date from the 1880s to the 1930s. The collection includes day dresses, evening dresses, evening coats, capes, and undergarments. As the wife and daughter of a mine manager, the collection includes representative examples of clothing worn by upper middle class Australian women in domestic circumstances, and at social and civic events. A number of the costumes from the 1920s to the 1930s are of a particularly fine quality, being both rare, representative and intact examples of Australian fashion of the period. The garments in the Weir Collection were donated to the Kew Historical Society by a granddaughter of Edith Weir in 2017.Pale blue shot silk dress, comprised of a separate pale blue silk bodice and a wide flaring skirt of the same fabric. The bodice features silk embroidery in the same colour as the dress and wide bands of brown lace at the neck, on the front of the bodice and on the sleeves. Blue silk fabric tabs extend across the lace at the front with gold buttons at either end. The bodice has an attached blue silk belt. As part of the ensemble, there are also pale blue silk stockings, of the period. edith mary weir (nee betteridge), women's clothing, dresses, fashion -- 1900s, weir collection

A lace head dress belonging to the women of the family of George Ward Cole’s in the late 1800s. George Ward Cole was an early member of the Victorian Parliament and the family featured prominently in Melbourne Society in their time. They established a substantial home known as “St Ninians” at 10 Miller Street in 1841. The family reportedly entertained Melbourne’s first Royal visitor the Duke Of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria’s second son, at St Ninians in 1867. In later years St Ninians was subsequently subdivided and later demolished. A hand sewn cream lace cap from late 1800s. A silk satin ribbon that encircles the back of the crown of the head, creates the structure of this cap. Towards the front it also has a net and wire-reinforced peak. Over the top of this support is a central diamond shaped lace piece of seven and a half centimeters diameter to which is attached a fine lace net that is gathered and stitched around the edge of the central lace. Two decorative bows of the same silk satin fabric are positioned on the support over the top of the lace at either temple of the wearer. "W-COLE" hand stitched on inside of band. It is unknown when and by whom this inscription was made.st ninians, george ward cole, headwear, late 1800s, brighton, margaret morrison ward cole, agnes bruce ward cole, thomas anne ward cole

This dress is a 'Dolly Varden' or 'shepherdess" style costume worn by Ida Annie Wallace (1890-1976) on a sea voyage to China accompanying her parents in 1911. The BHS has a photo of Ida wearing this dress when she was a guest at a dance for young people given by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne (possibly T. J. Davey). This party may have been held on the ship or it may have been a seperate event. This style dress was a popular choice for fancy dress in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The style is named after the character Dolly Varden in Charles Dickens, 'Barnaby Rudge' 1841. Around 1872, Dolly Varden-inspired costumes and paraphernalia were very a popular craze. Family information states that the silk for this dress was purchased by Ida and Marjorie's grandfather's sister (great aunt) in England circa 1840. The dress was donated by Marjorie Wallace (1901-1999), Ida's sister. Marjorie did not accompany the family to China, but stayed home with a governess. Marjorie lived in Brighton between 1923 and circa 1950 and attended Firbank Church of England Girls Grammar School.A dress consisting of bodice (.1) and skirt (.2). The bodice is made from beige silk with sprays of red and blue flowers and originally laced down the centre front with pink ribbon. The lower part of the bodice is modelled on a late 18th century polonaise design. The bodice is boned and features waist tapes. The elbow length sleeves are finished with beige hand made Maltese lace featuring Maltese crosses. The mid calf length skirt is made from pale pink silk which has been quilted and lined to create a stiffened form. Also with the dress is a piece of scrap floral fabric (.3) that is the same as the bodice fabric.dolly varden, marjorie wallace, barnaby rudge, charles dickens, fancy dress, ida annie wallace