Dressed by Claire Regnault

by Toitū Otago Settlers Museum Shop

$70.00
Fashionable Dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910

WHEN CRINOLINES; BUSTLES AND OSTRICH FEATHERS WERE THE HEIGHT OF
COLONIAL FASHION
This richly illustrated and lively social history explores the creation; consumption
and spectacle of fashionable dress in Aotearoa New Zealand from 1840 to the
early 1900s. Dressmakers were essential contributors to the development of
New Zealand; and as a colonial outpost of the British Empire; New Zealand’s 19th
century dress culture was heavily shaped by international trends. Interactions
with Maori; the demands of settler lifestyle and the country’s geography all added
another layer.
Dressed teems with the fascinating; busy lives of early businesswomen; society
women and civic figures. Featuring dresses and fashionable accessories from
museums throughout Aotearoa New Zealand; and including over 300 images; this
major book makes a significant contribution to histories of colonial dress.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire Regnault is Senior Curator New Zealand Culture and History at Te Papa
and has worked as a curator in the art gallery and museum sector since 1994. Her
curatorial practice is eclectic in nature and she is particularly passionate about
New Zealand’s fashion history. She is the author of New Zealand Gown of the Year
(2003); and co-author; with Douglas Lloyd Jenkins and Lucy Hammonds of The Dress
Circle: New Zealand Fashion Design Since 1940 (2010); which was a finalist in the
2011 NZ Post Book Awards. She is an active member of the Costume & Textile
Association of New Zealand; and regularly contributes to the association’s symposia
and journal.


SALES POINTS
• Sumptuous; and full of rich imagery.
• The first major publication on fashion in 19th century New Zealand for over 40 years.
• Features gowns from museums throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Warmly and accessibly written.
• Gives great insights into the lives of women from the earliest days of the settler
colony to the early 1900s.
• Shows how New Zealand’s dress history was alive to international trends but
also shaped by interactions with Maori; the demands of settler lifestyle and the
country’s geography and environment.
• A beautiful gift for anyone interested in fashion and women’s history

Dimmensions:
250mm x 190 mm x 35mm
456 Pages