It’s time to dig out those vintage pieces of attire stuffed in the attic trunk, or snapped tight in a hatbox at the back of your closet. It’s OK if they’re dusty and wrinkly; now is their time to shine!

The Henry Sheldon Museum is hosting a special Vintage Fashion Festival on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Fashion historians, accessory makers and mending artists will be available to answer your questions, plus hairstylist Ray Lingle will give a demonstration of vintage hairstyling and talk about how to use modern tools to achieve it. Guests of all ages are welcome to join the museum’s summer interns for fun and whimsical hat making. Go zany with lots of bells and whistles or make a simple hat that does the job — the choice is yours. Then cool off with some delicious sheep’s milk gelato served in the garden by Bridport’s Fairy Tale Farm. Admission to the museum is free during the event.

The Vintage Fashion Festival is part of the Sheldon Museum’s exhibit “From Homespun to Couture: Fashion in Historic Middlebury,” which will be on view until Jan. 4, 2025. In fact, the Sheldon opened the first iteration of this exhibit back in the fall of 2023. At first, the exhibit focused on the archives and featured local advertisements, newspapers, fashion magazines, photographs, trade cards, catalogs and all manner of documentation about historic Middlebury fashion in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Surprised by the exhibits popularity, curator and archives specialist Eva Garcelon-Hart has added to exhibit this year to “make it more fun!”

“We added hats, combs, three dresses,” she said walking through the exhibit in the back room. “Now it’s a little more complete. I want to show what women in this small town wore, and how they were able to put together these fashionable outfits at a time when many were making their own clothes by hand. Can you imagine?!”

RAY LINGLE WILL give a demonstration of vintage hairstyling
and talk about how to use modern tools to achieve it.

Garcelon-Hart walked clockwise around the room describing the items (some in cases, some not) in chronological order.

“Women were subscribing to these fashion magazines and clearly gaining knowledge,” Garcelon-Hart marveled. “It is so amazing how in sync the women were with the fashion of their time.”

At next Saturday’s event, visitors will have the opportunity to gain their own knowledge of any vintage pieces they bring with them from the incredible experts who will be on hand.

CLOTHING, HATS & SHOES

Costume designers Summer Jack and Aaron P. Mastin will share their knowledge of historic fashion. Jack, a faculty at the Middlebury College Theater Department, designed costumes for over 150 operas, plays, musicals, TV series and motion pictures. Mastin has worked on major Hollywood movies as a costumer for background actors, including on the films “John Adams,” “12 Years a Slave,” “The Underground Railroad” and “Manhunt.” He is currently on the staff of the Washington Heritage Museums in Fredericksburg, Va.

HISTORIC “HAIRDOS”

Ray Lingle will give a demonstration of vintage hairstyling and talk about how to use modern tools to achieve it. Lingle has been a hairstylist for 25 years, and enjoys many hand crafts like quilting and knitting. He is currently a senior stylist at “Parlour” in Middlebury.

VISIBLE MENDING & SUSTAINABILITY

Sarah Ashe will share her skills on how to creatively mend your clothes and make them unique and lovable. Sarah, a local artist, creates stitched fabric collages. She applies this approach to bring new life to her family wardrobe.

COSTUME DESIGNER SUMMER Jack and
Aaron P. Mastin will share their knowledge
of historic fashion.

CROCHETING & KNITTING

Mimi Wlodarczyk, an avid knitter, crocheter and fiber arts enthusiast, will explore traditional knitting techniques and patterns. Mimi has always enjoyed experimenting with creative fiber arts projects such as embroidery, weaving, fabric stamping and Shibori dye techniques.

VERD MONT BUTTON CLUB

Members of the Verd Mont Button Club will share examples of their fabulous collections of vintage and antique buttons, button materials, and the history of buttons. The Verd Mont Button Club is a statewide organization of button enthusiasts including collectors, craft people and artists. You might see them at Field Days next week.

Yes, this exhibit/event/extravaganza has it all! If you’ve been waiting for a time to come and explore the Sheldon this is it… What are you waiting for? Come and dive into “Grandma’s Trunk” — who knows what you’ll discover!

AND ONE MORE THING

On Thursday, Aug. 8, from noon-1 p.m., costume designer Summer Jack and exhibit curator Eva Garcelon-Hart will present an informal tour of the “From Homespun to Couture: Fashion in Historic Middlebury” exhibit. They will discuss how local women dressed in the 19th century, how they learned about fashionable trends, and reveal the intricacies of fashionable dress wearing and making. 

DID YOU KNOW?

The “Hooked on Rugs” silent auction featuring over 30 handmade hooked rugs by the late Suzanne Douglas is still open for bids. The silent auction will close Aug. 31. For more info visit henrysheldonmuseum.org or 802-388-2117.