CU Costume and Textile Collection can be viewed, researched online

Highlights of the online collection include historic clothing, such as this 1874 Worth dress, which can be viewed in 3-D rotation with zoom capabilities online at http://char.txa.cornell.edu/treasures/treasures.html.

By Susan Lang

Rather than having to travel to Ithaca to examine Eleanor Roosevelt's 1937 inaugural gown or any of the 9,000 pieces in the Cornell Costume and Textile Collection, fashionistas can go online.

So far, the Web-based collection has more than 5,000 records and more than 600 photos. Over time, the entire collection will be photographed and stored in the online database. The collection, which specializes in apparel dating from the 18th century to the present and ethnographic textiles and costumes, can be viewed at http://costume.cornell.edu:8080/.

Almost all the garments in the collection, and much of the ethnographic collection, are recorded in the online database.

Highlights of the online collection include historic clothing, such as the 1760 Montgomery dress, a 1925 Eisner beaded dress, an 1837 Treman dress, an 1874 Worth dress, Indonesian batiks and a growing collection of late-20th-century couture. Five garments, soon to grow to 30, can be viewed from all sides as the image revolves slowly on the screen, providing a three-dimensional effect.

"To my knowledge, we are the only collection in the country to put our inventory online to this extent. Any researcher anywhere can do a search for their topic of interest without actually making a trip here," said Charlotte Jirousek, curator and associate professor in the Department of Textiles and Apparel.