Storing Historic Costumes
This article originally appeared in Exchange,
a newsletter published by the Wisconsin Historical
Society. (Volume 25, Number
1, January/February 1983) It is the eighth in a series of articles titled Conservation Corner.
The series features information about maintaining
an adequate environment for the storage and exhibition
of historical collections, employing proper collection
care techniques, and recording and cataloging historical
collections. This article was written by Joan Severa,
former curator of costumes and textiles
at the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Historic garments are to be found in most local historical society collections, often in large numbers. Collections of historic clothing have not always been treated properly. Many garments have been displayed for long periods of time, in conditions that have caused damage. Current recommendations from professional curators indicate that no textile should be on exhibit longer than three months, and then only under low levels of lighting. This means that storage of clothing must be a high priority. If an item is worth collecting, it is worth preserving. Some simple steps may be taken to help safeguard your clothing collection, even if you cannot afford the elaborate conservation measures employed by large museums.
A primary consideration is protection from light. Historic clothing in storage should be shielded from both daylight and artificial light. Hanging is the most practical means of storage for most garments because it takes up the least space and leaves the collection in the best position for viewing and making selections for exhibits. Some garments cannot be hung. These include very heavy ones, such as the beaded dresses of the early twentieth century, and very old and elaborate gowns with long trains. For these types of garments, flat storage is infinitely preferable. The garments should be wrapped in old sheets or unbleached muslin, with acid-free tissue in the folds, and placed on a flat surface covered with neutral cloth. Huge drawers work well if you can manage them and there are large acid-free boxes available for purchase. Open shelves are suitable if the garments are wrapped in a second layer of sheeting and sheeting is hung to cover the shelf fronts. Such storage areas must be vacuumed and cleaned regularly.
Hanging garments require padded hangers. Wire or wooden hangers are not good for the fabric because they will eventually break down the fibers in the shoulder area. The best hangers for padding are the crescent-shaped wooden hangers. If hanging space is narrow, it may be necessary to clip the wooden hanger ends before padding to prevent the garments from touching the sides of the closet. Hanging space does not have to be a closet, but it does need a "roof" or covering over the top, and a drape or similar device across the front to keep dust out. Remember that all wood used in constructing storage space should be thoroughly dried and sealed with shellac.
Once the hanging space is ready, individual garments should be covered with protective bags, which are easily made from our familiar sheeting or muslin. Shape the shoulders slightly downward with a generous width for the padded hangers and garment sleeves. Leave one long side open and wide enough to overlap protectively. This will allow the bag to be removed easily. Be sure that the bags are slightly longer than the garments they protect.
Some historic dresses consist of separate bodice and skirt. Separates should be stored together in one bag. The bodice will hang as expected, but the skirt will need some adjustment. Sew four muslin tabs inside the waistband stitched to the waistband seam. Locate the tabs two in front and two in back. Sew twill tapes to the four tabs. When the skirt is placed over the padded hanger, it will rest on the outer ends of the hanger. By pinning the four tapes to the padded hanger you will give the skirt added support and stability on the hanger. If a waistband is too fragile to help support the skirt, place the garment in flat storage.
It will be good to gather a group of dependable volunteers to catch
up on a backlog of such projects as padding hangers, sewing garment
bags, and stitching tabs into skirts. Once this is done, keeping up
with new donations is a much more simple matter. Consider whether
any new donation is worth the effort and time to carry out these procedures.
Do not accept donations of dirty, slit, moth-eaten or mildewed items.
Clean conditions in storage shielded from light are essential to the
preservation of fragile textiles of any kind.
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