Elegant clothes, expensive accessories, exquisite details - can a woman's heart resist this? It's not about a high fashion show, and not about Prada or Hermès boutique. This is all about the unique exhibition of children's costumes, which opened in March in one of the halls of the Museum of the History of Kyiv, in collaboration with the Fashion History Museum. I wanted to visit it as soon as I heard the news, but I couldn't get rid of a cold for too long time. And here it is finally a warm spring day, time to walk around the city!
The exhibition was called "100 years of childhood" because it contains children's social clothes for 100 years, from 1820 to 1920. All clothes are completely original, not replicas. They also have things related to children's fashion of past centuries - toys, shoes, various accessories and old photos of this same period.
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The owner of the collection told in an interview that it was very difficult to find children's clothes in good condition, because in those days there were really many children in families. Younger children wore older children's clothes. Therefore, not many children's costumes of the 19th century have survived in the world.
The caretaker told me one interesting fact. Little boys (up to about 5 years of age) were dressed in the same way as girls (dresses, skirts etc). Back then, it was believed that little children should be as beautiful as their mother. Later, the father was allowed to participate in raising his son.
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A little more than 20 costumes, it seems not a lot, but their details make you want to look at them and admire. Besides, there are other exhibits like slippers, walking boots, hats, gloves, fans, combs, mirrors, hangbags, about 350 exhibits in total. I was simply fascinated. Lace, taffeta, velvet, jewelry...
There is even a corset in the photo above, it is quite small. That is, poor little girls wore corsets almost from birth.
This exhibit consists of 3 costumes for mother, daughter and daughter's doll. Obviously, made from same fabric, in the same style. Incredible! And the baby at the photo is so sweet.
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Speaking about the dolls, they are gorgeous. They are dressed much better than most children of those times, and their hair is most likely natural. It looks absolutely natural. The dolls even had their own toys. It's amazing.
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The last two photos are artwork made by a school girl of a second year of study - painting on a silk. It's very beautiful, isn't it?
I hope you enjoyed this collection as much as I did.
Thank you for viewing!