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Fashion

Cotton coverlet quilted in Texas, 19th century.

Artisan America

The State of American Craft Has Never Been Stronger

Today’s craft renaissance is more than just an antidote to our over-automated world. It renews a way of life that made us who we are

Ranavalona III succeeded her great-aunt, Ranavalona II, in 1883.

The Little-Known Story of Madagascar’s Last Queen, Ranavalona III

Artifacts linked to the royal are headed home following their purchase at auction by the African island’s government

Jimi Hendrix, 24, in his breakout set at Monterey in 1967.

The Exotic Vest That Introduced America to Jimi Hendrix

The fashionable garment conjures the guitarist’s dazzling performance at the Monterey County Fairgrounds

One of the oldest pairs of jeans in the world is this set of Levi’s, made around the 1880s and still tough as dirt.

How Denim Became a Political Symbol of the 1960s

The blue jeans fabric conquered pop culture and fortified the civil rights movement

The classic Turkey red, sported by everyone from Rosie the Riveter to Tupac Shakur.

The Global History of the Bandana

How an Indian export became part of the fabric of American life

Beets can be used to dye fabric red or pink.

How to Make Clothing Dye With Excess Fruits and Vegetables From Your Garden

Here are step-by-step instructions for giving your clothes and food scraps a second life

A fox in Germany (not pictured here) spirited away more than 100 shoes.

Sole-Searching, Shoe-Swiping Fox Caught in Germany

The crafty urban dweller built a colorful collection of footwear dominated by Crocs

Saba Ali, right, and Contemporary Muslim Fashions from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Smithsonian Voices

Contemporary Muslim Fashions Are Having Their Day in the Sun

Ranging from high-performance sportswear to haute couture, emerging and established designers are meeting the needs of stylish Muslim women

The colorized photograph shows 47-year-old Dickens in a blue, green and yellow waistcoat; a navy blue jacket; and tan trousers.

See a Newly Colorized Photograph of Charles Dickens

The image, set to go on view once London museums are allowed to reopen, shows off the prolific author’s playful fashion sense

A five-week course, "Rome: A Virtual Tour of the Ancient City," focuses on the building of the ancient city of Rome and how it laid the groundwork for the construction of cities throughout the world.

Virtual Travel

Six Online Courses About Europe to Take Before You Can Safely Travel There Again

Sheltering in place doesn’t mean you can’t study up for your next European adventure

Fashion designer Samantha Sleeper has made face masks for healthcare workers as supplies dwindle due to COVID-19.

Covid-19

As Face Mask Supply Dwindles, Fashion Designers Offer Their Assistance

In New York City, a desperate need among healthcare workers has pushed to the forefront the question: Is homemade equipment safe to use?

Barbara Karinska, “Emeralds” costume from Jewels, original designed in 1967. Lent by the New York City Ballet

From Ballerina Flats to Tutus, Ballet Has Left Its Mark on Fashion

A new exhibition in NYC features high-end couture, historic ballet costumes and modern athletic wear

The "Fashionista" line now boasts 176 dolls with nine body types, 35 skin tones and 94 hairstyles.

Meet the New Wave of More ‘Diverse’ Barbie Dolls

The additions include dolls with no hair, prosthetic limbs and vitiligo

Mrs. Maisel's pink wool house coat and peignoir nightgown, worn in the pilot episode, and black dress, worn in the season one finale

Two Dresses From ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Are Coming to the Smithsonian

Though plans aren’t finalized, the costumes might feature in the National Museum of American History’s upcoming “Entertaining America” exhibition

The Wedding Dance by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1566

Art Meets Science

Detroit Exhibit Celebrates Bruegel’s ‘The Wedding Dance’ and Its Controversial Codpieces

The painting’s frank depiction of drunk frivolity—and male anatomy—didn’t sit well with some viewers

Roman tweezers found during bridge construction

Cool Finds

Roman Ear Cleaner, Tweezers Unearthed in England

The ear cleaning tool looks similar to a modern Q-tip but is made entirely out of metal

In 2010, researchers excavating this young woman's grave discovered a waxy cone atop her head.

Cool Finds

Ancient Egyptian Head Cones Were Real, Grave Excavations Suggest

Once relegated to wall paintings, the curious headpieces have finally been found in physical form, but archaeologists remain unsure of their purpose

Classic Blue is a deep shade “suggestive of the sky at dusk,” “solid and dependable,” and a “restful color,” according to Pantone.

Trending Today

Pantone’s Color of the Year Is ‘Solid and Dependable’ Classic Blue

Some have decried the selection as dull, but Pantone prefers to frame it as “a timeless and enduring hue”

February II, 2019 by Devan Shimoyama

Unraveling the Tangled History of the Hoodie

Over the years, the oft-politicized garment has straddled the worlds of sports, street culture, Silicon Valley and high fashion

The $9,500 digital dress

Designers Are Selling Expensive Clothes That Don’t Exist—and People Are Actually Buying Them

Earlier this year, a digital-only dress sold at auction for $9,500

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