Welcome to The Costume Society
What does the society do?
The Society promotes every aspect of the study of clothing and textiles: The society aims
to encourage access to costume history,
Picture from the
Olive Mathews Collection
Chertsey Museum
including contemporary dress in various different
ways, our appeal is wide-ranging and object-based. Our members include academics, collectors,
curators, designers, re-enactors, students and informed enthusiasts across the world. What
we have in common is our wish to provide the best and most varied opportunities to study this
fascinating topic.
Our many
Events,our annual
Symposium,
our journal
Costume
and our Newsletters offer members lively and accessible ways of involvement with the
history of this perennially dynamic subject. This is a friendly, forward-looking society,
responsive to members’ ideas. When you join us you will be warmly welcomed and encouraged
to help us to maintain our role as a major influence upon costume, dress and fashion studies.
The bi-annual Newsletter keeps members in touch with what is going on in the Society and where the latest exhibitions, courses and
study days are being held. The Newsletter also reports on past events and on what our programme
sub-committee is planning for us in the future.
The society produces an annual programme of meetings which cover a range of subjects and periods,
and has organised visits to collections, exhibitions and archives including overseas visits
to some of the great European, North American and Indian Museums.
What does The Costume Society offer?
As a Registered Charity the Society has as its constitutional aim the promotion of education
in dress throughout out the ages including contemporary dress. The Society has been doing
so for over forty years. In keeping with our constitutional aim the Society offers, every
year,
four awards and also a Student Bursary.
The annual Symposium is a theme-based weekend conference with key speakers and the opportunity
for members to present their research. It also acts as the society's social focus.
As a member of The Costume Society you will receive: Access to the Society's annual programme of study
days and visits which cover a range of subjects and periods. the Society organizes visits to collections,
exhibitions and archives including overseas excursion to some of the great museums and galleries
throughout the world at membership special rates.
Costume — our journal, (from 2012 we will have 2 issues annually)
presents recent research on all aspects of dress worldwide, from pre-history to the present
day. It also reviews new books, exhibitions and conferences relating to the study of dress.
Membership runs from January to December, but you may join at any time throughout the
year.
For institutional enquiries or a subscription to ‘Costume’ our journal, please see our publishers
website: Maney Publishing
Sharing an interest
For over 40 years the Costume Society of Great Britain has encouraged and supported the study
of all aspects of clothing. With more than 1000 members across the world and participating
museums, libraries and colleges the society has become a focus for people who share interest
in the clothes that we wear and those that have been worn throughout history.
The society includes fashion designers, teachers and lecturers, stage and screen designers,
collectors, re-enactors, researchers, fashion writers, museum staff and all those who share
a fascination with clothes.
You don't have to be an expert to join. No matter how informal your interest in costume
may be, the Society will have something to offer you.
How do I join?
Apply online: click here
Payment is through Debit/Credit card or PayPal.
Apply by post: click here
If you prefer to pay by cheque, click on the link,
fill in your details - Print the form - then post the form to us with a cheque for the appropriate amount.
Change to membership fees from 2012 and introduction of 2 issues of "Costume".
Members will read in their forthcoming newsletter that our subscriptions are to increase as from the start of 2012.
Our treasurer, Chris Godfrey, has given a very detailed explanation of the state of our finances and the need to raise subscriptions (see rates below).
Chris Godfrey makes a heartfelt plea for members to make sure that they visit their banks and make a replacement standing order if necessary.
Each time we have had a subscription increase many members have failed to do this with the result that the hard-working membership secretary, now Fiona Starkey, has to deal with a lot of unnecessary correspondence.
So, please do make the necessary changes as soon as you receive your renewal notice.
The last time that our membership charges were increased was 10 years ago. In that time we have implemented successful annual awards to students, distributed a wonderful annual journal and held many successful events. It is more surprising that it is only now that the subscriptions are going up, and do remember, that in future you will receive not one journal each year but two.
From 2012 you will
receive a 2 copies of
Costume, 2 newsletters and information about the society's
programme of visits and meetings.
Summary of membership fees
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UK
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Overseas
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Individual Membership
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£36.00
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£40.00
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Student Membership
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£21.00
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£25.00
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