Unidentified artist, dress and petticoat (in situ), American, about 1735, restyled 1763. Silk plain weave with discontinuous supplementary patterning weft; silk twill tape; linen bobbin lace. Gift of Miss Helen L. Campbell.
Unidentified artist, dress and petticoat (in situ), American, about 1735, restyled 1763. Silk plain weave with discontinuous supplementary patterning weft; silk twill tape; linen bobbin lace. Gift of Miss Helen L. Campbell.
Clues in the Cloth: Dress and Alterations in the 18th Century
1:00 pm–2:30 pm
Tickets (Member / Nonmember)
In-Person $28 / $35
Livestream $16 / $20
Explore 18th-century dress from the inside out through one of the MFA’s most important American gowns. Made of English silk for Mary Waters of Salem to wear for her wedding in 1740 and altered for her daughter and namesake to wear for her marriage 20 years later, this dress reflects scarcity and familial aspiration. Consider the ensemble’s materials and structure along with historical images and other objects in the MFA’s collection to better understand the complexity of getting dressed in the 18th century.
Joel Stephenson, conservator
Jennifer Swope, David and Roberta Logie Curator of Textiles, Textiles and Fashion Arts
Course Packages
Purchase a ticket package for the full eight-session “America at 250: Expanding the American Story Through Art” course. Please note that this option is not available after the date of the first session.
Assistive listening system
Wheelchair accessible
Ticket Information
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.
Livestream Tickets
The livestream ticket gives access to a live feed of the event that can be watched remotely. You must be logged in to the account used to purchase the ticket in order to access the livestream on the Video Content page. Please log in at least 5 minutes before the start of the event to test your connection.
Livestream ticket holders must watch the event live; there is no recording of the event available for viewing at a later time.
Bag Checks
All bags are subject to inspection by Museum staff. Backpacks, large bags, all liquids including hand sanitizer and sunscreen, and outside food or drink are not permitted. Exceptions are made for medical or religious needs. All bags are strongly discouraged, and any bags larger than 11” x 15” must be checked in the Coat Room upon entry. Read our full bag check policy.