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 Olive Mathews Collection<br/>Chertsey Museum

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, published every year, 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: Join Here

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.

UK individual membership costs £24 each year (student membership is £12). For this you will receive a copy of Costume, two newsletters and information about the society's programme of visits and meetings.
Overseas membership is £26 each year (student membership is £14) A further £3.50 is charged if you wish to receive publications by airmail rather than surfacemail.