“Fur & Frost: Carolina Winters” will be on view in the Historic Textiles Gallery through April
A group of Charlestonians brave chilly temperatures in decidedly formal attire in this image by local photographer Robert Achurch (1866-1943). The circa-1900 photo, which shows a few members of Achurch’s family dining alfresco in tailored dresses, heavy coats, and hats, is part of an ongoing Charleston Museum exhibit examining how winter fashions developed in the Lowcountry. Historic garments illustrate how wool and fur dominated the 19th-century fashion industry, the latter of which decreased in popularity due to high prices during the Great Depression. In more modern times, the use of synthetic materials, such as acrylic, mark how trends and technology have changed the ways we keep warm. Explore more cold-weather fashions in “Fur & Frost: Carolina Winters” on view in the Historic Textiles Gallery through April.
