A Perspective of Style: The Nevada Woman -- Part I --1850-1870

We all know that Nevada is a unique state--from its mountain ranges to high deserts, from the pioneers who braved the frontier to its inception as a state, from its agriculture to its mining--Nevada is a look at both the rural and the urban cultures. Nevada and its people have known the best and the hardest of times. Nevada still remains misunderstood in the world. Sadly, there are too many who consider the state fit only to store nuclear waste.

I, myself, am a transplant to this state and have become intrigued with how the boom and bust of economic times have shaped the state. As a costume designer, I had been intrigued with the lore of garments brought from Paris, London and the Eastern seaboard as a reflection of the new found wealth--and wealth there was. Nevada shares a very real connection with the world. We have travelled and shopped in the best of markets. Distance is not a factor for the wealthy. There were also many fine goods and services avaiable for those who were shopping in Virginia City.

Clothing helps to define who we are as much today as it did in yesteryear. I do not believe that the human condition has changed much over time. There are always some regions or area of a state that become isolated due to geographical, political or religious reasons. Personal priorities shift with our individual priorities--a young mother with several children faces different demands than many widows or grandmothers. Society and special occasions often require something out of the ordinary. Some of us still wear clothes until they don't fit and can be handed down to another sibling. Sometimes we just like a certain garment and wear it and save it. (Pattern companies today keep a pattern in their current catalogues for a minimum of five years). There were women who lived on the ranches who, because of the intrinsic value of the material, mended and re-styled their clothing; eventually ending up using the what was left for quilts. Each garment has a story to tell, to follow and trace the paths of their lives is like the unfolding of a dramatic character or the building of a friendship.

There is much we can learn from looking at how a garment was put together. It is obvious how important patterns were to the home sewer and dressmaker alike. Women were able to make a fair and respectable living as a dressmaker. Women had access to important magazines of the day, such as, Godey's Lady's Book, Harper's Bazaar, Peterson's and the Delineator--just to mention a few.

Life is filled with uncertainties and looking at vintage clothing and thier history is no exception. There are times when it is difficult to be specific about a garment or its owner. It seems like there are always questions. However, sometimes if we look at the person who owned the garment, we can find some answers.

The pictures of many of the garment you will see were taken about ten years ago. Most of my work is not "museum quality mounting". I wanted to avoid the wear and tear on the garments. The conditions under which they were photographed vary greatly.

Without the help and support of the Nevada State Museum, the Marjorie Russell Textile Center, the Nevada Historical Society, Nevada State Archives, the Humbolt County Museum, the University of Nevada-Reno, Getchell Library's division of Special Collections, and UNR's Instructional Media Services this look at Nevada history through our clothing would not have been possible.