Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles

29/08/2026

23/07/2026

This Sunday AMCAT will be parading this garment, and many others from our collection, at the Tocal Homestead at 11.00am and 1.00pm. Peek into the Past is when Tocal Homestead comes alive with the sights, sounds and smells of yesteryear. It is the perfect old-worldly day out for the whole family to become immersed in the nostalgia.

19/07/2026

🎉 Only One Week to Go! 🎉
Next Sunday, we will be at Peek into the Past at the beautiful Tocal Homestead, Tocal Rd, Paterson NSW and we’d love to see you there!
✨ Don’t miss our vintage fashion parade, “This Goes With That”, a delightful showcase of coordinated outfits and matching sets through the decades. Discover how fashion was styled to perfection, where every outfit really did go with that!
👒 Fashion Parade Times
🕚 11.00am
🕐 1.00pm
Our parades are usually held at these times and on the verandah of the Homestead, but please check the official programme on the day in case of any changes.
🎟️ Tickets are available for pre purchase via the Homesteads website or by clicking on the link in our bio on Instagram or by clicking on the link below for Facebook.
https://facebook.com/events/s/peek-into-the-past/1550111923780750/
Whether you’re a lover of vintage fashion, history, or simply looking for a great family day out, we’d love you to stop by, say hello, and discover what the Australian Museum of Clothing & Textiles is all about.
🤞 We’re keeping our fingers crossed for beautiful winter sunshine and a wonderful day for everyone!
See you at Tocal Homestead next Sunday!

18/07/2026

🌿 A Jacket with a Beautiful Story 🌿
Sometimes it’s not just the garment that captures our imagination it’s the story of the people connected to it.
This charming 1920s handmade summer jacket is crafted from pure brown linen and features wide raglan elbow length sleeves with vibrant hand embroidery in rich autumn tones cascading down the front and decorating each sleeve. Every stitch reflects the patience, creativity and skill of its maker.
The jacket once belonged to Ida Eckford (1882-1968) of “Montrose”, Sempill Street, Maitland, who was a well-known local midwife. At a time when most babies were born at home, midwives were central figures in their communities, providing skilled care and support to mothers and newborns.
The jacket also shares a very special connection with the founder of the Australian Museum of Clothing & Textiles. Ida was the midwife who delivered Nell Pyle (née Manning) at her family home in Greenwich Point, Sydney in 1924. Years later, in the 1930s, Ida gifted this beautiful jacket to young Nell to “dress up in” perhaps unknowingly inspiring a lifelong love of historic clothing that would eventually grow into the remarkable collection we care for today.
It’s these personal stories and treasured connections that make our collection so much more than fabric and thread, they are tangible links to the people who shaped our community and preserved its history.
💚 Every garment has a story. We’re proud to share them with you.
ThreadsThroughTime

14/07/2026

📚 Volunteer Opportunity 📚

Do you have experience with library cataloguing, archives, or organising collections? We’d love to hear from you!
The Australian Museum of Clothing & Textiles is looking for a volunteer to help organise our extensive reference collection of books, magazines, catalogues, journals, and newspaper articles. This valuable resource supports our research, exhibitions, and the preservation of Australia’s rich clothing and textile heritage.
Someone with knowledge of library cataloguing or archival practices would be ideal, but if you have strong organisational skills and a passion for history, we’d still love to chat.
As a not-for-profit museum run entirely by volunteers, your time and expertise will make a real difference in helping us care for and share our collection with future generations.
If you or someone you know may be interested, please send us a message via Facebook or Instagram Messenger or email us at [email protected].
Please share this post to help us find the right person!
   

13/07/2026

💚 A Dress Full of Memories 💚
This stunning emerald green velveteen dress, lovingly handmade in the late 1950s, was worn by Fay to dances at the Maitland Town Hall in 1958. With its elegant revere neckline, fitted bodice, three-quarter sleeves, full gathered skirt, and matching self-fabric bow and belt, Fay’s dress is a wonderful example of home dressmaking at its finest.
Just a few years later, in 1961, Fay married Lance in Kurri Kurri, beginning a new chapter in a life filled with cherished memories.
During the 1950s, Saturday night dances at the Town Hall, famous for its grand sprung dance floor were a highlight of the social calendar featuring live bands like Jim Hunt’s Big Band. Strict etiquette was adhered to where the girls typically sat in rows of seats around the perimeter of the dance floor, while the boys gathered around the entrance waiting to ask them for a dance. The dance floor would often fill up even more around 10:30 pm, as young men would arrive after the local pubs had closed. By the mid-to-late 1950s, the emergence of rock and roll and jiving swept through the venue with dancers moving to the sounds of local acts like Johnny Lavender and the Cannonballs. Young people would dress in their finest outfits, dance to live bands, and spend an evening catching up with friends or perhaps even meeting their future husband or wife. These dances created memories that lasted a lifetime and became an important part of Maitland’s social history.
It is with sadness that we acknowledge Fay’s recent passing. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and thank them for entrusting the Australian Museum of Clothing & Textiles with the care and preservation of this very special dress.
Every garment in our collection tells a story. Through Fay’s beautiful dress, we remember not only the fashions of the era but also the dances, friendships, celebrations and community spirit that made the 1950s such a special time in Maitland.
💚 Thank you, Fay, for allowing us to preserve and share a small part of your story for future generations.

13/07/2026

From this to that. The transformation of a beautiful wedding gown from the 1940s. One of our models will be showcasing this beautiful satin wedding gown at our "Just Married" parade in August. A vintage parade, not to be missed. Tickets on Eventbrite.

11/07/2026

🤍 A wedding dress stitched with romance and craftsmanship.
Worn on 1 February 1978, this elegant full-length wedding dress beautifully reflects the late 1970s trend for soft, romantic bridal fashion.
The gown features intricate pin tucking across the bodice and skirt, a traditional sewing technique where tiny, evenly spaced folds are stitched into the fabric to create texture and delicate geometric patterns. Pin tucking enjoyed a revival during the 1970s, inspired by Victorian and Edwardian fashion, adding handcrafted detail to bridal gowns without overwhelming their graceful silhouettes.
Equally striking are the synthetic lace inserts that adorn the front and back bodice, the triangular panels in both the front and back of the skirt, and the long sleeves finished with deep cuffs fastened by two fabric-covered buttons. In the Australian bridal trade, this decorative lace was often referred to as Mexican lace. During the 1970s, many bridal gowns were imported from Mexico as partially completed garments, valued for their intricate lacework and skilled craftsmanship. They were then expertly finished in Australia, with the addition of fitted bodices, zips and other final details before being sold through boutique bridal salons.

Driven by the bohemian, counter-culture, and folk-art movements, Australian brides embraced these lightweight, cotton-and-crochet gowns as relaxed alternatives to rigid, traditional formalwear. Brides were rejecting heavy satins and synthetic nets, instead they opted for white, off-white, or cream cotton-lawn and muslin gowns.

Purchased from a boutique in Sydney’s iconic Australia Square building, this gown was worn just once on its special day, preserving it as a beautiful snapshot of 1978 bridal style.
Every stitch tells a story. 🤍