PORTLAND, Maine — The second part of the Maine Historical Society's Northern Threads exhibit is now open to the public and features Maine fashion from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Some of the pieces in the collection are exceedingly rare, including a uniform from the Spanish-American war worn by a soldier from Winterport.
Jamie Rice, the deputy director of collections for MHS, was tasked with the big job of bringing the exhibit to life. This specific collection was made possible in part by Westbrook College, which is now known as the University of New England.
The clothing in part two of the exhibit dates as far back as 1890 and features styles through the 1980s. One of the most notable pieces at the start of the collection is a beaded collar and cuff set worn by a Penobscot Nation chief that has been preserved. It doesn't belong to MHS but is being borrowed for the collection from the Penobscot Nation's museum.
"I think it's really enlightening to learn how much people in Maine were interested in fashion and how quickly they were able to access what were trends," Rice said. "Some of these trends were only trendy for a short period of time."
Some of those trends include "puffy" sleeves on wedding dresses. Rice said that trend only came back into style for a few years.
"When you see a prevalence for that it makes you realize how in tune Maine was, historical Maine was, in fashion," Rice said. "That's something that's really interesting. Plus, learning about some of the people who owned the garments. Whether they collected the garment, or wore it, or why they chose to preserve it."
RELATED: Maine Historical Society turns 200
The exhibit also features fur pieces that represent Maine's role in farming animals for fashion. There is also a collection called "Women at Work and a World at War" that showcases styles worn by women who served overseas during that time or at home while they worked.
MHS is fundraising to purchase the Spanish-American War uniform mentioned above. It is believed the soldier's father sewed the uniform by hand. There is only one other uniform in the U.S. known to be in existence.
If you would like to see the exhibit for yourself, head to the Maine Historical Society website for details. The collections will be on display through the end of the year.