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 (part) wedding dress is one of a number of items donated to the Fashion Collection by Netta Fuller.Very full cream silk skirt with Brussels lace used on the front and hem of the garment. At the front there is a separate panel of the same fabric. The skirt is believed to date from the 1890s.The skirt suffers from shattered silk.wedding dresses - 1890s, netta fuller, women's clothing

This beautiful costume was the 'going-away' dress worn by Mrs John Russell at her wedding in c.1884. It has been passed down through the Russell family and was donated by her grand-daughter Mrs David Nixon. John Russell was an early Orbost blacksmith in Orbost, and director of the Orbost Butter Factory for 50 years. He came to Orbost in c. 1890 at the invitation of another early settler, James Nixon, became a blacksmith, and later a farmer and landholder. Many of his descendants still live in the Orbost area. This full length female costume is made of moroon satin with gold velvet inserts. It has a small train at the back, scalloped folds with lace edging down the front of the skirt, and two rows of 14 buttons each down the bodice.going-away-dress 1890s-dress

A wedding dress, 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.Cream silk wedding dress consisting of a long sleeved pleated bodice and a very full skirt. The skirt has a deep exterior pocket. The interior of the bodice exhibits extensive use of baleen to provide structure. The outfit includes a marching pair of cream silk shoes.edith mary weir (nee betteridge), illapa -- 84 princess street -- kew (vic.), women's clothing, weir collection, dresses, fashion -- 1890s

From its beginnings in 1958, the Society has mounted exhibitions and/or displays, in early days in shop window and in community spaces located in the Kew City Hall (later Kew Library), and since 2010 at the Kew Court House. Exhibitions typically coincided with the annual Kew Community Festival in March, but after 2013 evolved into three new exhibitions yearly at the Kew Court House. Smaller displays continue to be mounted in the Kew Library.This photograph confirms that the purple ballgown is/was part of the Coombs family donation of Victorian era costumes made to the Society in 1961. Therefore it is important for establishing the item's provenance. Display of costumes from the collection of the Kew Historical Society, exhibited during the Festival of Kew in 1979. Recognisable items include from left the 1890s purple ball gown, the 1860s white satin wedding dress and the blue two-piece 1880s outfit. All items are clearly from the Coombs donation of 1961, there being no other record of costumes occurring before 1979. Inscribed verso: "Taken during Festival of Kew 1979 / Kew Hist contribution / Exhibition of Family Treasures / Donated by Janet McDermott 1979"kew historical society -- exhibitions, festival of kew -- 1979

Four-piece wedding outfit comprising bodice, belt, skirt and separate train all made of cream figured wool. The bodice has a centre front ruched panel, stand collar and a fitted two-piece sleeve with full gathered head. It is trimmed with cream-coloured beading with pearl drops. The bodice has seven interior bones and is fastened with metal hooks and hand sewn eyelets which are concealed under the front panel. A separate pleated belt fastens centre back. Plain gored skirt with separate train that ties around the waist.wedding dress, 1890s fashion

This dress was worn by Matilda Kinross McDonald, nee Herd (1871-1943) for her wedding to George William Mitchell McDonald in Geelong in 1892. Two-piece wedding dress comprising separate bodice (.1) and skirt (.2) made of figured coffee-coloured silk woven with large sprays of foliage and berries. The front of the bodice is decorated with a cream-coloured hand-made lace. The bodice is cut asymmetrically, with the front panel wrapping over to the left proper side seam. The fitted sleeves are cut with fullness in the head and narrowing at the elbow and wrist in a leg-of-mutton style. The bodice is backed with a dark brown glazed cotton and has 13 bones. The skirt is backed with a coffee-coloured cotton. wedding dress, geelong, matilda kinross herd, george william mitchell mcdonald, 1890s