Clothing with a Purpose
Exploring fashion’s many functions through the collections of The Henry Ford.
Clothing
with a Purpose
Clothing does more than cover us up. It can shape our figures, protect us from the elements, and prepare us for work or play. What we wear can help us express ourselves, remember experiences, and celebrate special occasions. These selections from the collections of The Henry Ford span the wide range of fashion’s functions.
Staying Warm and Dry
Boy's Galoshes, 1960-1970, Ball-Band Mishawaka Rubber & Woolen Mfg. Company, 1960/1970, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Winter Coat, 1925-1930, Padberg, Madame, 1925/1930, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Stormy Kromer Style Cap, 1890-1910, 1890/1910, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Celebrating Special Occasions
Boy's Suit, Worn by Richard R. Johnson to his First Communion, 1940, 1940, Original Source: Digital Collections
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American Revolution Bicentennial Cutoff Shorts, 1976, 1976, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Remembering Experiences
New York World's Fair Souvenir Scarf, 1939, 1939, Original Source: Digital Collections
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University of Michigan Rose Bowl Sweatshirt, 1990, Nutmeg Mills, Inc., 1989, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Souvenir Baseball Cap From World's Fair of 1982, 1982, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Holly High School "Jamaican Jam" Senior All-Night Party T-Shirt, 1998, Fruit of the Loom (Firm), 1998, Original Source: Digital Collections
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On the Job
Ford Motor Company Shop Coat, 1930-1932, Brownstein-Louis Company, 1930/1932, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Soda Fountain Dispenser's Cap, 1930-1950, Smith Dairy Products Company, 1930/1950, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Postal Service Uniform, 1955-1965, 1955/1965, Original Source: Digital Collections
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At Play
Baseball Uniform Shirt, 1865-1885, 1865/1885, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Men's Athletic Shoes, 1950-1955, Ball-Band Mishawaka Rubber & Woolen Mfg. Company, 1950/1955, Original Source: Digital Collections
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On the Go
Creating a Stylish
Silhouette
Making a Statement
Barack Obama Keds Sneakers, 2008, Stride Rite Corporation, Zazzle.com, Inc., 2008, Original Source: Digital Collections
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T-Shirt, "Give Mother Nature a Break, Drive a CitiCar," circa 1975, Sunshine State Tee Shirt Company, 1974/1976, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Colorado Silver Bullets Baseball Cap, 1995, New Era Cap Company, 1995, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Infant T-Shirt From Detroit's Eastern Market, 2011, 2011, Original Source: Digital Collections
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Credits: Story
From The Henry Ford Archive of American Innovation™.
Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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