What do a red sequin burlesque costume, a pair of original Air Jordan 1s, a baby’s wool bathing suit, and an enormous white tulle Christian Dior gown have in common? All these wearable artifacts are preserved in the Chicago History Museum’s vast costume collection, which strives to represent the many different people and stories that make up our city.
Featuring 70 rarely seen objects, from glamorous gowns and sharp suits to housedresses and sneakers, Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective explored how clothing captures the material, social, and changing cultural values throughout history. The exhibition celebrated 100 years of an incredible collection and the donors, curators, and staff who have shaped it.
We offered touch tours for this exhibition for visitors who are blind or have low vision. The touch tour was led by a gallery interpreter and includes extra verbal descriptive elements, plus opportunities to touch example objects including fabric swatches reproduced to match the garments on display. A public touch tour open to all was offered once a month starting February 26, 2025. Touch tours were always free with admission and are also available by appointment. Learn more about our touch tours.
Additional Resources
- Purchase the exhibition catalogue
- See images of items featured in the exhibition
- Learn more about the Costume Collection
- Browse highlights of the Costume Collection
- Explore past costume exhibition catalogues
- Read the exhibition press release
- Listen to the Dressed: The History of Fashion podcast episode “Dressed in History: 100 Years of Collecting Fashion with Jessica Pushor“
Blog Posts
- “The Rand is Quicker Than The Eye”
- Mounting Mysteries: One Dress, Two Styles
- Preparing a Christian Dior Gown for Display
- Historical Florals: A Free Set of Embroidery Designs from an 18th-century Gown
Thank You to Our Sponsors of Style
Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum
Presenting Sponsor
Liz Stiffel
Sponsor
President’s Circle
Bonnie Deutsch
Courtney and Tobin Hopkins
Barbara and Keith Kizziah
The Shearson Family
VLS Private Foundation
Karen Zupko
Benefactor
Marci and Ron Holzer
Katherine Klehr
Rhonda P. Marcucci
Erica C. Meyer
Neiman Marcus
Lynda Rahal
Alicia and David Schafer
Richard and Diane Weinberg
John and Carol Winzeler
Friend
10 MGMT
Pamella and Alfredo Capitanini
Joan E. Clifford
Freeman’s | Hindman Auctions & Appraisals
Bon French
Heritage Auctions
David Hiller and Darcy Evon
Karen Peters and Charles Frank
Carol Prins and John Hart
Patron
Anika Allen and William Blair
Constance K. Barkley
Lee Blackwell Baur
Kathleen M. Boege
Carole M. Cope
Jonathon and Jacqueline Cwiok
Leslie Delany
Abby Funk
Peter Gustafson and Dan Wheeler
James and Rose Kallas
Dr. Lissette Cortes Lade
Bonnie G. Lipe
Lisa Klimley Malkin
Peggy Martay | Mrs. Dusty Stemer
Conrad B. Miczko
David A. Mordini and Jerome F. Fitzgerald
Maggie M. Morgan
Julie K. Pfeiffer
Lyssa Mashek Piette
D. Elizabeth Price
John A. Rogers III and Tye Radcliffe
Frank J. Rubel III
Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan
David Sanchez
Carol Seelig
Joseph Seliga and Vanessa B. M. Vergara
Glenn T. Shirley and Aaron J. Shirley
Styled By Demetra
Ruth Thuston
Leslie and Robert Zentner
Additional Sponsorship from
Illinois Office of Tourism
Curators and Contributors
Jessica Pushor is the collections manager of costume and textiles at CHM. She holds a MA in Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Pushor previously co-curated Treasured Ten: Selections from the Costume Collection and has assisted on several fashion exhibitions in the past. At CHM, she worked on Silver Screen to Mainstream: American Fashion in the 1930s and ’40s and Making Mainbocher: The First American Couturier.
Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair (March 16, 2013–May 11, 2014), Silver Screen to Mainstream: American Fashion in the 1930s and ’40s (April 8, 2019–January 21, 2020)
Chicago Styled: Fashioning The Magnificent Mile® (November 15, 2014–August 16, 2015), Making Mainbocher: The First American Couturier (October 22, 2016–August 20, 2017)
Dior: The New Look (September 30, 2006–May 28, 2007), Chic Chicago: Couture Treasures from the Chicago History Museum (September 27, 2008–July 26, 2009), Bertha Honoré Palmer (May 23, 2009–January 4, 2010), I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot (May 22, 2010–January 3, 2011), Charles James: Genius Deconstructed (October 22, 2011–April 16, 2012)
Elizabeth Jachimowicz has curated more than 20 exhibitions for CHM, including Chicagoans in Paris, Social History through the Mirror of Fashion, A Sampling of Children’s Clothes, Fashions from the Wardrobe of Mrs. Robert Todd Lincoln, 1860–1920, Women’s Fashions of the 1920s, and The Wit and Fantasy of Ben Green-Field.
INTERESTED IN GROUP TOURS?
Stories are always better when shared! Bring your group to the Chicago History Museum and walk in the footsteps of the city’s past on a private tour. Groups of ten or more adults receive a discount when reserving at least four weeks in advance.