TU's Victorian secret

New historical clothing collection exhibit examines the undergarments and clothing that shaped women's silhouettes through time

By Megan Bradshaw on February 15, 2018

Period dramas—like “The Crown” and “Outlander”—show a variety of fashions that changed the shapes of women’s silhouettes, often leading viewers to wonder, “How did they wear that?”

Towson University College of Fine Arts & Communication faculty Julie Potter and Erin Lehman set out to answer that question with the Historical Clothing Collection’s newest exhibit, “From the Inside Out: Building the Silhouette,” located in the Center for the Art’s Gallery, CA 3040.

Watch the video above to learn more about the origins of the exhibit and what visitors can take away from the experience.

Featuring apparel and advertising from the late 18th through the early 20th centuries, the exhibit demonstrates how clothes and the silhouettes they created changed throughout the period. Clothing of this era emphasized the architectural nature of fashion, building up the silhouette layer by structured layer. Visitors can even try on reproductions of era fashion. 

The exhibit is free and open to the public. It runs until March 17; the gallery is open Tuesday–Saturday from 11 a.m.–8 p.m.