Special Exhibitions
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Past Exhibitions
American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity
May 5, 2010–August 15, 2010
Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall, 2nd floor
Go to Flickr for gallery views and behind-the-scenes photos of the exhibition.
See the Collection Database for a list of works included in this exhibition.
See the Collection Database for a list of works included in the exhibition American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection, on view at the Brooklyn Museum.
Visit the online Met Store for related publications, reproductions, and other products.
American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity is the first Costume Institute exhibition drawn from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met. It explores developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940 and how they have affected the way American women are seen today. Focusing on archetypes of American femininity through dress, the exhibition reveals how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sexual emancipation. "Gibson Girls," "Bohemians," and "Screen Sirens," among others, helped lay the foundation for today's American woman.



youtube Our YouTube channel features a wide variety of videos, including behind-the-scenes footage and curatorial talks.

The exhibition is made possible by Gap logo

Additional support is provided by Conde Nast logo

A related exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection (May 7–August 1), highlights masterworks from the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection.

Listen to a sample from the exhibition's Audio Guide, featuring Sarah Jessica Parker: