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Year-round events keep the Charleston area buzzing. Music and tempting aromas fill the air. Witness world-renown performances at Spoleto, get a taste of our heritage at a small town oyster roast or discover the find of a lifetime at an antique show. With so many events taking place, you'd better mark your calendar now.

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Bustles, Bicycles and Ballgowns: Beginnings of Change in the Late 19th Century

05/01/2008 - 01/04/2009

Location: The Charleston Museum


The Charleston Museum will present an original exhibition called Bustles, Bicycles and Ballgowns: Beginnings of Change in the Late 19th Century from May 1, 2008 to January 4, 2009. This mini-exhibit is curated by Katherine Lapelosa, a College of Charleston intern, under the supervision of curator of textiles Jan Hiester.

"Bicycles prompted a change in clothing and less restrictive undergarments," explains Anthropology major Lapelosa. "Late 19th century women could go out on their bikes unchaperoned for the first time because it was deemed acceptable as exercise." The bustle emerged during this era and proved to be more versatile than the hoop skirt. This freedom of movement was a major factor in the increasing number of women in the workplace.

Bustles, Bicycles and Ballgowns offers a full range of garments, accessories and even equipment from late 19th century Charleston. In addition to women's undergarments, walking clothing and formal attire, guests will see an 1890s bicycle, typewriter and shorthand machine. The exhibit also features a try-on station complete with a period-appropriate corset, bustle, and drawers.

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