Seating/Optional Meal begins at 5:15 pm
Presentation runs 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
$15 PER PERSON
includes light snacks and refreshments
ADVANCE REGISTRATION
REQUIRED
Optional meals for $15 (includes soup, sandwich, dessert & drink)
Wine, beer & soda available for purchase at the bar
What did a woman’s clothing reveal about her life in 1776?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Join us at The Dayton Woman’s Club for "Fashion and Freedom: Women’s Dress in 1776," a special America’s 250th program with fashion historian Leslie Arendt.
This isn’t just a talk about pretty dresses. Leslie will explore how technology, economics, politics, and changing social customs influenced what American women actually wore during the Revolutionary era.
Even better, you’ll get to see history up close. Leslie is bringing a mannequin display of historically accurate, hand-sewn clothing representing women of the lower, middling, and upper classes. See daywear, formal clothing, hats, caps, accessories, and even the undergarments that created those distinctive 18th-century silhouettes.
It’s a fascinating look at American history through something deeply personal: the clothes women wore every day. Come see 1776 from a completely different perspective.
We are open to the general public. Our venue is fully accessible with a ramp entrance.
About the Speaker
Leslie Arendt began hand-sewing historical costumes as a teenager and has since developed a passion for combining history, fashion, and music in programs that educate and entertain. She is also a private music teacher, freelance harpist, and guitarist and singer with the bluegrass band Lafferty Pike.
Your ticket purchase supports our mission of empowering women and strengthening our local community with historic preservation, public engagement, cultural activities, and educational programs.