Home Costume

Costume

Our costume collection was very generously donated by MGM Studios.  There are about 60 dresses and garments that make up the collection. The assortment spans from the golden age of Hollywood in the 1930’s to the 1960’s. We now know that 26 different film productions can be positively identified by labels sewn in the inside of some costumes.  Stars such as Lana Turner, Gene Kelly and Esther Williams wore these. We are constantly working to identify more of the films that these costumes appear in.

The displays are changed about 4 to 5 times a year. The dresses are beautifully made, with beading, lace and real fur. They are to die for, now if only I could squish myself into one of them.

Costume
Dress worn by Maria Schell in “The Brothers Karamazov”. Working on the display is Valerie Meyer and interns Madisen Matsuura and Abigail Cregor.
Dress worn by Maria Schell in “The Brothers Karamazov”. Working on the display is Valerie Meyer and interns Madisen Matsuura and Abigail Cregor.
Worn by Claire Trevor in Honky Tonk, 1941
Dress worn by Claire Trevor in Honky Tonk, 1941