THE DOWNTON ERA FASHION 

OF THE TWIN CITIES

Yesterday my friend Lea and I saw the new Downton Abbey movie.  I loved it, but then I was pretty sure I would, given my love for the series. The grandeur of the stately homes, and the magnificent clothing, did not disappoint.  In fact, seeing the beautiful costumes reminded me of two years ago when I had the opportunity to see the Dressing Downton exhibit while it was here in the Twin Cities.

That trip down the memory lane of fashion, quickly brought me back to this past May and the spring Fashion Week MN. There are number of shows that take place throughout the city during Fashion Week, and they feature everything from very classic and iconic, to truly avant garde designs.

Framing the Silhouette. 

This tux belonged to James J. Hill, the wealthiest man in Minnesota.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) hosted a wonderful fashion show on May 16, that coincided with a new historical exhibit they curated entitled, The Art of High Style: Minnesota Couture 1880-1914. 

This was one of my dresses in the exhibit. 

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) hosted the exhibit.

As many noted families in the east were amassing huge fortunes and estates, the midwest was holding its own quite nicely, especially here in the Twin Cities. Booming businesses in timber, mining, and flour milling, along with innovations in rail transportation, led to sizable fortunes for a number of families, and the newly wealthy demanded couture to match their status. Thus the fashion houses of the Twin Cities were born. Many of the salon owners were trained in Paris, and traveled. there at least once a year, to keep up on the latest styles.

I loved this hat as well.

This exhibit featured a number of the actual dresses and clothing worn by these Twin Cities elites. I apologize for the reflections in a number of the photos, but the display cases and lighting made it virtually impossible to avoid. Still you get an idea of the amazing fashions that graced the ladies of Minnesota, during its Gilded Age.