Perfect Ladies at Durand-Hedden House

In the 19th century many believed the role of women was to please men, be decorative in social situations and act in a refined manner. While women were responsible for domestic duties such as sewing and laundry, they were also expected to uphold and epitomize the familial social status. In a 2:00 p.m. slide talk, Kristina Haugland, Assistant Curator of Costumes and Textiles at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, will examine the social context behind the evolution of Victorian fashions such as corsets, hoop skirts and bustles as well as attempts to reform women’s dress and redefine their social position. Examples of Durand-Hedden’s Victorian clothing collection will also be on view.