Join Smith College clothing historian Kiki Smith on a special visit to the exhibition she conceived and curated: Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore at The New York Historical museum in New York City.

Featuring garments from the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection, the exhibit reveals the history, economics, and stories behind the everyday fashion worn by women over the last two centuries.

Since its opening last September, reviewers have spotlighted Real Clothes, Real Lives as one of the most important new exhibits.

Our group will be treated to private, docent-led tours of the exhibit.

Then, after the visit to The New York Historical museum, you'll have time to explore New York City on your own.

“If we acknowledge garments of the past that have been overlooked, we honor the lives of the women who wore them. This exhibition celebrates the significance of these everyday garments and reveals why they are important to save.”

~ Kiki Smith

Price: $100. Limited to 40. Registration is required.

For logistics and registration, please click here to learn more.

Kiki Smith is Professor of Theatre at Smith College, director of the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection, curator of the Real Clothes, Real Lives exhibit, and author of the book of the same title. She is also a professional costume and set designer, and the former board president of Historic Northampton. 

In 1979, she established the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection, which now consists of more than 4,000 garments and accessories that depict the everyday clothing choices accessible to working American women.  

Image Credits:

• Left-to-right: Multicolored printed synthetic-knit "patchwork" minidress with "Jonathan Logan" label, c. 1970. Yellow printed cotton micromini dress with chevron pattern and elasticized neckline and high waist, c. 1968-70, homemade from McCall pattern. Gray, gold, orange, and lilac printed synthetic-knit micromini dress with sun graphic and "Peter Max" label, c. 1970. Photograph by Anna-Marie Kellen for the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection.
• Sylvia Plath’s Girl Scouts of the United States of America uniform, ca. 1942-1945. Cotton chambray, vegetable-ivory, nylon, metal. Kellen Photograph.
• Black-and-white calico work dress, c. 1865. Kellen Photograph.
• Bookcover, Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore by Kiki Smith (Rizzoli Electa, 2023).

www.historicnorthampton.org