The Development of Costume

Costume is simultaneously one of the most appealing and most vulnerable of all the objects displayed in museums or collected by individual enthusiasts. Without proper care, clothes simply fall apart, destroyed by use, insect attack or just exposure to sunlight. Naomi Tarrant, curator of a major costume collection, provides a guide to the history, use and preservation of apparel. She shows how thoughtful display can both provide good conservation and exciting museum displays. This text should be of interest to all museum staff who use costume in their exhibitions, and for all serious collectors.