Greencastle, PA

 Vintage Hats and Bonnets
from the collections of
Rebecca Manifold

Vintage Hat Pins, Holders,
Perfume Bottles and Silver Dresser Set
from the collections of
Gloria Pugliano

Becky Manifold
1700's
1800's
1900's


 

Each hat description was written by Becky Manifold.

“Overviews of History, Fashion, and Hats”
were compiled by Bonnie A. Shockey, May 2003.

Resource: Vintage Hats & Bonnets 1770 – 1970, Susan Langley, Collector Books, 1998.

Exhibit was open May and June 2003

by Becky Manifold . .
I began collecting clothing (including hats and bonnets) sometime during 1974 when I became aware that clothing could, indeed, survive the people who wore the garments and that it (clothing) could be found with some effort.  Prior to actually collecting, I had often depicted historic clothing in artwork I produced, so the interest was definitely there. It was extremely exciting to me to find that, armed with my own hard-earned money in a quest for the elusive, I could actually rescue, care for and display what other people often did not value or want.  The other exciting side of collecting clothing lies in the fact that what looks to be a pile of wrinkles or rags can, when carefully arranged on a proper form, be a breathtakingly beautiful example of wearable art!  The quest for more and better examples to place in my ever-growing and changing collection has led me to meet many people, to travel, and to exchange my interest and share my knowledge with others. 

A recent adventure in collecting: Through a turn of events or connections, I was contacted by a lady from Lancaster, Pennsylvania this past fall.  She was cleaning out her 101 year old mother’s attic.  She offered me the clothing accumulated there, as well as her family’s history.  We became friends in the process and I am the caretaker of this family’s history in the form of their garments, souvenirs, photos, and other memorabilia.  It all goes to prove, you never know what adventures lie ahead when you collect clothing.

I have been a member, since the 1970’s, of the Costume Society of America.  Beginning in the very early 1980’s to the present, my involvement with the Shippensburg University Fashion Archives on the campus at Harley Hall (lower level) has included being a volunteer, supporter, exhibiter, and a member of the SUFA Board of Directors.  The Archives has a try-on collection as well as a special collection made up of donations from faculty and Shippensburg area residents. 

The Archives serve as a valuable resource to the University and the wider community.  Groups of students are often found visiting and sketching there.  Presently, the Archives is working at achieving an endowment of $1,000,000 so it can continue to serve the University and the community in the future.

top                                                                                    Becky Manifold