Dressed - what the well-dressed colonial was wearing

Claire Regnault

Anna Bishop painted by Charles Heaphy in 1844. Credit Alexander Turnbull Library

Anna Bishop's wedding dress featured in the Charles Heaphy portrait

Eliza Wrigley's dress made 1864 on the voyage to NZ gifted by H Steptoe

Fancy dress Elizabethan costume worn by Ellen Studholme 1878 Credit Canterbury Museum

Huuria Matenga in a riding habit and topper. Alexander Turnbull Library

Little spotted kiwi muff 1948, gifted by Marjorie Hector

Mary Taylor (left) and mountaineering travelling companions.

Miss Guy poses with her tennis racket at Nelson's Tyree Studio

Sewing machine made by the Royal Sewing Machine Company in Birmingham, gifted by Mr Hughes

When specialist textile curators at New Zealand museums examine donated garments, often the most fascinating stories come from the signs of stains, repairs and repurposing that they discover.  

Many of these stories are shared in a new book by Te Papa's Senior Curator, New Zealand Culture and History, Claire Regnault.  She's brought them together in a book that examines Aotearoa's fashionable dress history, from 1840 to 1910.

There's been some real detective work by Claire to find out details of the garments' owners and makers from the often scant museum records. 

Lynn Freeman asked Claire about the time-consuming work that goes into investigating the history of these garments.

Dressed :Fashionable Dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910 is written by Claire Regnault and published by Te Papa Press.