Jennings County’s bicentennial committee is seeking more period clothing for its August fashion show.
“Thanks to the re-enactors, we have about all the clothes representing the Civil War era that we need, but we are still short on the early 1800s eras and the early 1900s eras,” said committee co-chairwoman Dorothy Williams.
The bicentennial fashion show, to help commemorate Indiana’s 200th birthday, will take place Aug. 18 at the Park Theatre Civic Center in North Vernon. The show will feature two centuries of fashion for men, women and children, and will open a weekend of bicentennial celebrations in Jennings County.
The historical fashion show will open with an exhibit of Native American dress of the region before Indiana became a state, and then progress through the 1800s from 1816, when Indiana became a state, until present day fashions, Williams said.
“We want the fashion show to be historical but we also want it to be a fun evening for everyone,” said committee co-chairwoman JoAnn Campbell, explaining the evening will begin with a social hour in Stellar Plaza before the fashion show begins.
The social hour will include live music and refreshments.
“We want the evening to be a whole experience for everyone” Campbell added.
Williams said the committee is interested in more than just period clothing.
“We want things to show everyday life at different times. For example, we already have a 1930s-era Girl Scout uniform that will be in the show. We would love to have different things like that and we know that we want military uniforms from both World War I and World War II,” Williams said.
Clothes worn in plays or costume parties that are good replicas of period clothes, such as bustled dresses from the 1890s or flapper dresses from the 1920s, will also be considered for the show.
As is the tradition of shows in the fashion world, the county’s bicentennial fashion show will end with a procession of wedding dresses.
Campbell said ticket information and more details about the fashion show and social hour will be available soon.
Anyone who would like to loan period clothing or costumes for the bicentennial fashion show, or volunteer their help, should send an email to Williams at [email protected], or to Campbell at hcampbell05@ comcast.net.
