Vintage wedding dresses on display at Barrington History Museum
June is said to be the month for weddings, but at the Barrington History Museum every month is a wedding month.
That's because one of the exhibits features vintage wedding dresses. Whether it's to see an 1870 challis dress or a 1910 lingerie dress, a visit to the exhibit will be enjoyable and informative.
Visitors are frequently surprised that white has not always been the usual color for wedding dresses. Queen Victoria of England started the fashion trend of wearing white when she got married in 1840. American women could stay current with Paris fashions due to the invention of the camera and the printing of Godey's, a ladies' magazine.
Prior to 1840, wedding dresses came in all colors except green, which was thought to be unlucky. In the museum's collection there are dresses in ivory, rust, blue, pink and a dark floral print.
Terms used in the history of fashion are a bit bewildering. Did you know pigeon front refers to the puffy, blousy style found in women's clothing at the turn of the century.
Another trend was very full, puffy sleeves. Plumpers were invented to keep the sleeves puffy and resembled modern day children's water wings.
Another oddity of terms is "leg of mutton." Visitors will learn whether the term refers to something to eat or something to wear.
Since the historical society's beginning in 1968, Barrington citizens have graciously donated their relative's dresses to make a total of 30 wedding dresses. Applebee House, one of two folk Victorian houses the museum owns, is the site of the exhibit, which makes a historically interesting backdrop to viewing the dresses.
The current exhibit will conclude in the early spring of 2019, when a new collection will take its place. But until then, the museum is open each Saturday from 1-4 p.m., unless special arrangements are made for a visit during the week.
The display of wedding dresses isn't the only interesting thing to see at the museum. There are four other major displays: WWI, Frank Willmarth's caricatures, a toy collection and, lastly, a whole house designated to the Jewel Tea collection.
The Barrington History Museum is at 212 W. Main St. For information, call (847) 381-1730 or visit www.barringtonhistorymuseum.org.