Morris Museum in New Jersey is celebrating vintage accessories from the last few centuries with its exhibition On the Head and In the Hand: 200 Years of Hats and Purses. The exhibition, which has 52 purses and 87 hats, will be on display until September 25.
Elizabeth Laba, the costume curator for Morris Museum, says the display shows the way that fashion, craftsmanship, and design has evolved over time. Think of the way women wore grand hats until the late 20th century, when headwear became more relaxed.
Many of the purses on display are also much smaller than the large bags we carry, as women of the day didn’t need to carry laptops or mobile phones. They weren’t traveling or even working in those early days of fashion so they needed very little on their person, and their choice of purse reflected that. It’s amazing looking at the detail on those tiny purses. Over a relatively small space, the artisans created beautiful beaded, embroidered, and woven designs which are really amazing to see.
A wool flame-stitch embroidered wallet used by a soldier during the Revolutionary War is one of the oldest pieces on show.
All that sounds fascinating, but Judith Leiber fans may be best postponing their visit. An additional 20 Judith Leiber purses will join the exhibition on April 8. Entry is free though, so perhaps you’ll want to visit a few times!
