Please enter a search term

Professor Irma G. Bowen began collecting items in 1920 as a hands-on teaching tool for students in the Home Economics department at the University of New Hampshire. The collection was named in Bowen’s honor after her death in 1947, and by the time it transitioned to the University Museum in 1969, the Bowen Collection had gained new significance. With most of the objects donated by local colleagues and families, the preserved items were recognized as an unexpected archive of New Hampshire heritage on a personal scale, a glimpse of lives otherwise invisible to the historical record.

This digital catalog continues the Bowen Collection's mission to teach while expanding its reach by making it more widely accessible to those interested in the design, technique, artistry, and historical relevance of clothing.

  • Evening gown, Marie Lamy of Paris, ice blue silk satin with a paillette-strewn bobbinet overlay, 1908-1915, front view
    Evening gown, Marie Lamy of Paris, ice blue silk satin with a paillette-strewn bobbinet overlay, 1908-1915
  • Wedding suit, blue wool with cord-work, 1909, front view
    Wedding suit, blue wool with cord-work, 1909
  • Dress, white silk with embroidery and fringe, 1910s, front view
    Dress, white silk with embroidery and fringe, 1910s
  • Dress, embroidered voile over a black silk satin skirt, 1910s, front view
    Dress, embroidered voile over a black silk satin skirt, 1910s
  • Dress, cream silk faille with ecru embroidered net, c.1910, front view
    Dress, cream silk faille with ecru embroidered net, c.1910
  • Dress, cream satin with black chiffon overlay and tasseled, embroidered panels, c. 1910s (refurbished), front view
    Dress, cream satin with black chiffon overlay and tasseled, embroidered panels, c. 1910s (refurbished)
  • Shoes, blue kidskin pumps, 1910s, side and front view
    Shoes, blue kidskin pumps, 1910s
  • Hat, raffia with silk flowers, c. 1910s, front view
    Hat, raffia with silk flowers, c. 1910s
  • Dress, black ribbed double-faced satin trimmed with reverse side, 1910-1915, front view
    Dress, black ribbed double-faced satin trimmed with reverse side, 1910-1915
  • Dress, House of Worth, black silk chiffon and cream silk satin with cream lace, 1910-1915, front view
    Dress, House of Worth, black silk chiffon and cream silk satin with cream lace, 1910-1915
  • Coat, teal wool with cordwork, 1910-1915, front view
    Coat, teal wool with cordwork, 1910-1915
  • Toque, black velvet with ostrich feathers, c. 1910-1920, front view
    Toque, black velvet with ostrich feathers, c. 1910-1920
Back