A Victorian Secret: How 19th-Century Technology Influenced Women’s Dress and Fashion

 The Western Illinois Museum will host resident Victorian ladies Stasia Bath and Nancy Chu in a one-hour program on May 14th at 6:30 pm titled A Victorian Secret: How 19th-Century Technology Influenced Women’s Dress and Fashion. Women’s fashion, including undergarments, changed dramatically in the 19th century because of innovations in technology. In this presentation, Bath and Chu will uncover the truth and fiction of women’s dress during the Victorian era to demonstrate how technological advances led to the “modern woman.” Bath and Chu will present items from the Museum’s collection to introduce topics that will be further explored on May 21st in a program titled The Life Cycle of Clothing by guest presenter Erika Holst, Curator of History at the Illinois State Museum. There is a suggested $5 donation at the door. A portion of the program will be held in the unheated area of the Museum so layers are encouraged.

About the Presenters
Stasia Bath is part of the Western Illinois Museum’s resident “Victorian Ladies,” who present seasonal videos and contribute to programs for the Museum’s “Our Front Porch” series. With an interest in how past events shape America’s present, she has presented on 19th-century and Civil War topics through the WIU L.I.F.E Program, Macomb’s Dickens on the Square, Quincy’s “Civil War Symposium” series, and for many local civic and community groups. In educational settings, she has presented and performed for students in WIU Department of History courses and K-12 students in Macomb and Burlington. She is a dedicated volunteer at the Western Illinois Museum and serves on the Museum’s Advisory Council.

Nancy Chu is a retired professor from Western Illinois University where she taught children’s literature, storytelling and uses of literature in the elementary classroom. She now divides her time among her husband Felix, her 6-year-old grandson, horses and her beloved mule. She is also one of the Western Illinois Museum’s resident “The Victorian Ladies” with Mrs. Bath (proper ladies of the day NEVER used first names!), dressing in period costumes for various programs throughout the year. Her interests primarily focus on aspects of life in the mid to late 1800s, including the Civil War era.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Humanities Council.

The Western Illinois Museum is a non-profit organization celebrating and nurturing the history, culture, and traditions of McDonough County. It is quickly becoming a vibrant community hub that features exhibits, an open collection area, lectures, music, and other programs in a historic building. The Museum is located at 201 S. Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square.

A full schedule of events can be found at wimuseum.org or follow on social media @wimuseum. For further information, call 309-837-2750, text 309-837-2613, or email info@wimuseum.org.