Speedway to Sunshine, Florida’s Overseas Railroad

Vintage Clothing Collection Cataloging Begins

In preparation for “Speedway to Sunshine, Florida’s Overseas Railroad” KWAHS is beginning a detailed cataloging of its vintage clothing collection. Most of these items were accessioned in 1987 and only brief notes accompanied the clothing. In our new exhibit we plan to feature changing examples of what the citizens of Key West would have worn for the arrival of Flagler’s Railroad.

	Skirts Skirts were some of the most versatile pieces of clothing a woman could own. A plain colored skirt could be paired with a variety of blouses, jumpers, tunics, and other accessories. They could be dressed up or down and worn for any occasion. While skirts were some of the most versatile garments they still came in a variety of designs. Silk, taffeta, or cotton were the most common fabrics used. A detailed hemline, sweeping train, pleating and stitching also added a more tailored and fashionable look.
Blouses One of the most important and fashionable garments in a woman’s wardrobe was the blouse. Blouses often had a high neck line, synched waist, and were long sleeved. Blouses of the early 1900’s were hand made and were of fine quality fabrics such as lace, silk, and taffeta. The detailing of the blouse is also what made it popular and fashionable. Lace and embroidered trim on the neck and sleeves, fancy buttons, and appliqués all added the finishing touches.
	Undergarments Women of the early 1900’s wore many layers of clothing starting with their undergarments. Chemises, slips, petticoats, and corsets were all typical items that women wore. Though these items were never seen they were still of fine quality and contained fashionable details with lace and embroidered insets and trim.