Baby, It May Be Cold Outside, But Come In to See Historic Coats, Cloaks
Posted on Jan 28, 2009 in categories Events, Exhibits, Press Releases
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Baby It’s Cold Outside Exhibit.
The weather continues to be cold, but brave the outdoors and you’ll find a warm atmosphere and much to see inside at the Glencoe Historical Society’s Baby, It’s Cold Outside exhibit of women’s outwear showing through March 1.
Until the beginning of the twentieth century, women—and men—wore cloaks rather than coats, the better to cover up their clothes and the easier to create, without buttons, zippers or other closures, or sleeves. At the beginning of the 1900s, outerwear began to develop into coats we now know them—with sleeves, closures and fitted to the body. The “Baby” exhibit shows off a variety of coats for winter, mostly furs that were worn by Glencoe women in the period 1930s through the 1970s.
Furs have been worn by women since the beginning of time as a cover and for warmth. In the twentieth century they also were fashion statements and range from full length coats to stoles and shawls. Furs used in the coats that are on display include mink, beaver, fox and “broadtail” a special type of lamb derived from young sheep. The rarely seen coat is in the “New Look” fashion style, just to the knee, tightly belted with a self-belt and flared out from the waist. The fine lamb fur has a swirled pattern design to add to the aesthetic look.
Most of the coats, including the broadtail, are from the Helen Sharpe Collection, donated to the Glencoe Historical Society in 2006 when Mrs. Sharpe died. She had lived in Glencoe for more than 60 years. Other coats come from the Marianne Crosby Collection, donated by her estate last year. Crosby had been a board member of the society for more than 20 years and an emeritus member of the board for the last three years of her life.
At the opening, almost 40 people gathered to enjoy the exhibit and sip hot chocolate to keep warm. Thanks to board members Susie Bisgeier and Caroline Erbman who brought the refreshments—cookies from our famous cookie-maker Susie and chocolates from Switzerland via Caroline. Thanks also to curators Alice Glicksberg and Janice Gemp who did a wonderful job in assembling and creating the exhibition. Finally, thanks, too, to the Javore family who let us use the snowmen “greeters,” the two animated toys that sing “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” They were dressed by Janice in their warm furs.
The exhibition will be open until March 1 at the Eklund History Center, 377 Park Ave. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and 1–4 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free. Call 847.835.0040 with any questions.