On November 11, Whanganui Regional Museum opened a new exhibition titled Dressed to Thrill.
The exhibition showcases fashions of the 1970s, contrasted with those of the 1870s.
For some of us who experienced the 1970s, the fashions of the time conjure up a mixture of feelings, from delighted nostalgia to amusement at why we, or anybody else, ever aspired to wear those styles.
It would be a brave young man now who would appear at the beach or pool in the brilliantly coloured "budgie-smugglers" we have on display, yet these floral speedos were once the height of swimwear fashion.
Museum Notebook: Believe it or not, floral speedos were once the height of swimwear fashion.
The footwear on display includes a pair of "jelly" shoes, plastic sandals ideal for wearing at the pool or beach because they could get wet without becoming soggy, though the plastic surface did tend to cause blisters if worn for any great length of time.
The shoes with chunky plastic platform heels would not be at all out of place in a contemporary outfit, and the late Josephine Duncan's golf shoes would now be perfectly acceptable for everyday wear.
Despite the tendency for fashions to go in cycles, the kaftan, represented by a stunning white example edged with kowhaiwhai patterns, has not yet made a comeback in New Zealand, for women or men.
Kaftans, because they are relatively shapeless, are extremely comfortable. They have been worn for thousands of years, and originated in ancient Mesopotamia.
In the drawers, magazine pictures of the time portray men dressed in their trendy kaftans, one a contemporary 1970s example and the other in an antique traditional kaftan, sourced from its Middle-Eastern country of origin.
Also found among the 1970s archives are patterns for creating crocheted clothes, such as a white mini tennis dress.
Being so short, tennis dresses of the time were worn with special tennis pants, usually adorned along the back with rows of lace to enhance the glimpse of knickers when the female tennis player bent over to take a vigorous swipe at the ball.
Helen Ashton's jumpsuit from the 1970s. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum ref: 2016.11.2
Some of us probably feel quite relieved that crocheted bikinis and mini dresses like these have been consigned to history books and museums!
By contrast, the 1970s jumpsuit has made a strong return into contemporary fashion, with girls of ages enduring the annoyance of having to disrobe almost completely just to use a toilet.
The gorgeous purple floral jumpsuit on display, worn by Helen Ashton, would be perfectly acceptable going-out attire for a young woman today. It is still in beautiful condition, so was obviously a well-cared-for garment.
In a recent visit to the exhibition, Ashton commented that she daringly wore a gold trouser-suit to an important evening event, committing a fashion faux pas, but paving the way for the other women present to similarly defy convention and wear trousers as formal attire.
The trouser suit has not yet returned to the catwalks of contemporary fashion. Perhaps its day will come again, along with kaftans for men, bell-bottomed pants, platform shoes, and floral "budgie-smugglers". But oh please, not the crocheted bikini!
• Margie Beautrais is the educator at Whanganui Regional Museum.
