Ohio State nav bar

Skip to main content

The Ohio State University

  • Help
  • BuckeyeLink
  • Map
  • Find People
  • Webmail
  • Search Ohio State

Historic Costume & Textiles Collection

College of Education and Human Ecology
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

DONATE

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Collections
  • Search Collections
  • Exhibitions
    • Current Exhibition
    • Upcoming Exhibitions
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Fashion2Fiber Digital Gallery
  • Clothes Lines Blog
  • YouTube videos
  • Teaching
  • Friends and Donors
    • Donating Objects
    • Financial Contributions
  • Visit Us
  • Contact Us
  • Links

Campus Fashion: 150 Years of College Style

May 30, 2019 by Gayle Strege

You can view a digital version of this exhibition online by visiting our Fashion2fiber website, or you can just view the gallery installation here.

The Ohio State University began celebrating its 150th anniversary this academic year and we are doing our part with an exhibition that takes a look at what people were wearing on college campuses for the past 150 years. The exhibit features what people wore to class, what they wore in the dorms (today sometimes those garments are the same but that was not true in the past), what was worn to football games or other activities, and what clothing was worn for special occasions related to college life such as formals or joining honors societies, fraternities or sororities.

Maxine and Loyal Richard while students at Ohio State University in 1932. Looks like they are going to a football game!

Formal gown worn by Ruth Weinman Herndon when a Freshman at OSU in 1925

In addition, we are featuring some student projects from design, construction, pattern-making and tailoring classes from years past. Pictures from the OSU Archives photograph collection in the exhibition highlight student life over the decades. A particular interesting series highlights the evolution of classes in Nutrition and Fashion from the early days of the Department of Domestic Science, and School of Home Economics.

Spotlights about alumni who’ve worn clothing in the exhibition include Grace Heck Faust, who graduated OSU Law School in 1930 (one of two female law graduates) and was the first woman in Ohio to be elected as a prosecuting attorney.

Dr. Ruth E. Moore is another notable OSU alumna. She received all her degrees at Ohio State and was the first African American woman to earn a PhD in a natural Science. She taught at Howard University Medical College and also chaired the Department of Bacteriology from 1947-58.

 

Gallery location and hours can be found here

Filed Under: Carousel, Exhibitions, Past Exhibitions

  • Exhibitions
    • Current Exhibition
    • Upcoming Exhibitions
    • Past Exhibitions

Categories

Carousel Collections Current Exhibition Events Exhibitions Features Past Exhibitions
  • Facebook

Welcome

The Historic Costume & Textiles Collection is a scholarly and artistic resource of apparel and textile material culture. The 11,500+ holdings encompass a range of three dimensional objects such as textiles and articles of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children, including national dress costume, from the mid-18th century to contemporary 21st century designers.

Quicklinks

  • Clothes Lines
  • Fashion2FIber
  • FRIL: Fiber Reference Image Library

Search Historic Costume & Textiles Collection

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Visitors

Visitors are welcome to tour exhibitions when they are on display in gallery spaces. Gallery hours and location can be found on the visit us page or you may contact us for upcoming information on exhibitions, programs, and events.

Research

The Collection is available to researchers by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call or email to make arrangements.

Contact Us

The Historic Costume & Textiles Collection
1787 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210

Telephone: (614) 292-3090
Fax: (614) 688-8133
Email: strege.2@osu.edu

© 2025 Historic Costume & Textiles Collection | The Ohio State University - College of Education and Human Ecology | Privacy Policy

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this site, please contact us for assistance via email at EHE-Accessibility@osu.edu.