Ladies and Their Fashions

Exhibit @ Mark Twain Library through June

The display showcases a collection of dolls created by Redding resident Kathy Brandt, who also designed and made the clothing that each doll wears to echo the fashions of the times.

This is the first time Brandt has ever displayed her dolls outside of the cabinet where she stores them in her home. The intricate details in each dress are a work of art and the different patterns clearly provide a walk through history, from the fringed capes of the Iroquois women in the 1700s to the uncomfortable wire skirts with large bustles from the 1800s and beyond.

To complement Brandt’s collection and add to the historical nature of the display, there is also a paper doll collection on display from 1912 that was loaned by a Meadow Ridge resident who was gifted them by a family member who had saved them. In the 18th and 19th centuries, wooden dolls and paper dolls were often used to advertise the latest fashions to women..