The Collection

The Collection

Our 15,000-item collection, comprised mostly of donations, consists of clothing and accessories worn by men, women and children, dating from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. With a focus on middle- and working- class Americans, clothing from all walks of life is represented. Visitors can expect to see beaded Charleston dresses from the 1920s, Victorian corsets and Chinese binding shoes. The Archives takes pride in its pieces from designers such as Chanel, Scaasi, Cashin and Trigere.

Special collections:

1. The Pennsylvania Collection: Featuring clothing manufactured in Pennsylvania and related to the history of its garment industry.
2. The Shippensburg University Collection:Pieces related to the people and history of the university, including alumni and faculty.
3. The Reference Collection:An extensive library of fashion-related publications containing hundreds of volumes. The Fashion Archives houses an extensive reference library of fashion-related publications containing hundreds of volumes. The holdings are accessible via the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library online catalog database (items will be listed in the search results as Library Location: Fashion Archives — Davis House.) Researchers may consult the texts during regular operating hours. As it is a special collection, the materials are non-circulating.

Collecting Policy

Space limitations have compelled the Fashion Archives to freeze large-scale acquisitions on a temporary basis. However, particularly select items can still be housed. Potential donors should contact the Fashion Archives for more information:

Email: fasharch@ship.edu
Phone: (717) 477-1239

Please note that due to conservation and storage issues, the Fashion Archives cannot accept any natural furs.