Textiles and Fashion: All the Trimmings

This online course is for learners to engage in better understanding the history of accessories - all the things that have made a complete outfit from the beginnings of fashion.

We will start with the history and significance of gloves. We will consider what gloves represent, practicalities and making of these items. This will be followed by A brief introduction to the handbag through the ages including the pocket and the reticule. We look at novelty handbags and reflect on the ideal design for a handbag to be of practical use. We will then move on to look at hats, veils and their erratic fashion fortunes. The history of hat shapes along with the stories behind specific hat styles. This will consider the importance of head covering in certain social and occupational settings. And finally, we will look at gentlemen's' accessories - the walking stick, the fob and others. What accessories define a gentleman? We will look at the development of the tie and it’s decline.

Along the way you will learn how these items are made, how they have come to be named and, in some cases, how to identify them.