As the industry is ever-evolving and styles are forever changing, women’s debutante and ball dresses have seen it all — high necklines, puffy sleeves, cut-outs and body-wrapping gowns.
Opening on Friday night, the latest Echuca Historical Society exhibition After the Ball is Over showcases all these styles and more.
Encompassing a range of gowns and photographs from the early 1900s to 2000s, the exhibition lets you walk down memory lane and reflect on your own fashion hits and misses.
It runs from Friday until the end of May and exhibits a collection of debutante and belle of the ball dresses and pictures from Echuca-Moama and surrounding districts.
Looking through the archives and discovering there have been many debutantes and balls over the years, the Echuca Historical Society members were all amazed at the diversity of the events and therefore began curating the exhibition.
‘‘There was a suggestion made after we had our wedding dress exhibition a few years ago that we should look into the debutantes,’’ Echuca Historical Society president Dot Hammond said.
‘‘We started going back through the archives to see what we had for an exhibition.
‘‘As it turns out, there’s been so many local events through the years. We even found a photo from 1914 of the tennis club ball and we managed to find the lady’s name.
‘‘We’ve had around 18 dresses given to us on loan from far and wide, from the mid-1940s right up to now.
‘‘There’s a whole range of gorgeous gowns on display — why wouldn’t you come down and have a look?’’
The exhibition is open daily (except Good Friday) from 11am till 3pm and admittance is $5 for an adult, $2 for a child.
Groups are encouraged to pre-book their viewing by phoning 5480 1325 or emailing eh.soc@bigpond.com to arrange a suitable time.
For more information head to echucahistoricalsociety.org.au
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