Saffron Walden Flyer SaffronWalden_Flyer_May2017_For_Web | Page 14

The Flyer Local History 300 years of fashion history at Saffron walden museum A special exhibition at Saffron Walden Museum brings together fashion accessories from the past 300 years to show how fashion has changed over the centuries. ‘Completing the Look: 300 Years of Fashion Accessories’ explores how British fashion has been affected by social, cultural and political changes and what it can reveal about the changing world. Objects have been selected from the extensive costume and textiles collection at the museum, as well as loans from Southend Museums Service and local people. The oldest object in the exhibition is a pair of beautiful Georgian silk brocade shoes dating from the early 1700s, and the most recent object is a suede patchwork shoulder bag in the iconic hippy style of the 1970s. Alongside these, visitors can see Victorian bonnets, Edwardian fans, 1920s beaded bags and 1950s stiletto heels, amongst many others. Leah Mellors, curator of the exhibition, said “The museum’s costume and textiles collection spans over 300 years and contains some very special objects that the public rarely gets to see. Not only does this exhibition display some of our most visually-stunning objects, it also explores what fashion can tell us about the way people see themselves and the world.” To complement the exhibition, which runs until Sunday 30 July, there will be a talk by Helen Ritchie from the Fitzwilliam Museum on 12 June about the museum’s jewellery collection. Please see the museum’s website www.saffronwaldenmuseum.org for more information. Events coming up Museums at Night - 19 May, 6pm- 8pm Bring your torch and follow our night-time trail. Children MUST bring an adult. Usual entry fees apply. Nature Explorers (Half-Term) 31 May and 1 June Nature Explorer craft activities and outdoor trail. Drop in sessions, 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm. Children MUST bring an adult. Usual entry fees apply. Hands on with History (Summer Holidays) 26 July and 16, 23 August Get hands on with history this summer with activities inspired by our collections. 26 July – Seaside holidays 16 August – Stone Age day 23 August – Shell creatures Drop in sessions, 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm. Children MUST bring an adult. Usual entry fees apply. Household Tips Create a thrifty watering can by puncturing holes in the top of a used milk bottle. WD40 can be used to remove crayon marks from any surface! Photos from the fashion collection of: Ostrich Feather Fan and Shoes worn by Princess Charlotte (not the current one, this is the daughter of George, Prince of Wales, who went on to become King George IV) 14 TH E FLYER | MAY 2 0 1 7 Pl ease menti on ‘The Fl yer’ when respondi ng to adv e rti s e me nts