By Karen Hughes

The Whanganui Regional Museum has selected a dress worn by well-known New Zealand poet Eileen Duggan (1894-1972), for the upcoming Outfit of the Month exhibit.

Grace Burgess, a long-time personal friend of Eileen Duggan, donated the dress to the Museum in 1984.

Kaihāpai Taonga/Collection Manager, Trish Nugent-Lyne said the dress is distinctly 1920s style, with its long bodice and short skirt. The mustard-gold colour of the dress was also very popular in the 1920s.

Kaiārahi Manuhiri/Visitor Services team member Junette Ward, also a textile specialist, has been preparing the fragile dress for display. She is pleased to see the Outfit of the Month series highlighting important pieces in the Museum’s extensive fashion and textile collection, “It’s lovely that this wonderful collection in the Museum is getting more of the attention it deserves.”

Trish Nugent-Lyne will present the dress with a lunchtime fashion talk at 12.15pm on Friday 29th September, in the Museum. Entry is free, though koha is always appreciated. No booking is required, and all are welcome – meet in the Atrium. The dress will then be on display in the Museum throughout the month of October.

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