MISS PORTER’S WEEKEND OF FASHION
Indulge in a Weekend of Fashion: see a century of stylish and changing fashions captured in photos, homemade clothing and charming accessories at Miss Porter’s House museum.

Contemporaries described the Porter women as ‘well dressed’. Florence, Ella and Hazel Porter were prolific producers of fabulous clothing and household textiles, everything from underwear to business suits, party gowns to everyday dresses and accessories
Edwardian studio photographs reveal Florence Porter tightly corseted and clad from wrist to ankle in high-necked clothing and extravagantly large hats. Florence was a skilled craftswoman, probably sewed her own clothing and was well known for her handmade lace and crochet trimmings. One of her early purchases was a sewing machine, ordered from Anthony Hordern’s Palace Emporium while on the wedding trip in Sydney and well used during the rest of the twentieth century.
By the 1930s Florence’s daughters, Ella and Hazel, were at business college and in employment. Family snaps capture Hazel and her mother in calf length tailored coats, close fitting hats and sensible strapped, low-heeled shoes.
Both work and everyday wear was structured and accessorized with hats and gloves essential for the properly dressed woman. Hazel was described by a 1950s work colleague as wearing ‘a navy skirt and jacket with a white blouse and highly polished lace up shoes. Her hair was drawn back into a bun’. Hazel, like her mother and sister, took pride in her appearance and there are many coat or jacket-and-skirt ensembles in the collection.
Miss Porter’s House has an especially rich crimplene clothing collection. Crimplene was the wash-and-wear miracle fabric of the 1960s which seems to have been enthusiastically embraced by the Porter women. They made numerous work and leisure dresses, jackets, a suit and even a hat from the new material.
Indulge in a Fashion Weekend and see a century of stylish and changing fashions.
Open 1-4 pm Sunday June 9 and Monday June 10
Admission: Adults $12 Concession $10 Family $34 and National Trust members and children under 5 free
Ph 49270202