Mother Of The Groom, 1968: May’s Fashion Talk At Whanganui Regional Museum

The Whanganui Regional Museum is delighted to announce the Outfit of the Month for May - a stylish jacket and dress ensemble worn by a mother of the groom at her son’s wedding in February 1968. The elegant outfit was purchased from the DIC department store and offers a wonderful glimpse into the fashion and formal wear of the late 1960s.

The ensemble was donated to the Museum in 1998, by Margaret Leland Wills (born McAdie, in 1915). She passed away in 2006. Though Margaret generously gifted more than 20 garments to the Museum’s clothing and textile collection, little is currently known about her life.

Pou Tiaki/Collections & Curatorial Lead Trish Nugent-Lyne is keen to hear from family members or friends in the community who knew Margaret. “We’re incredibly grateful for Margaret’s generous donations, which add real depth and richness to our textile collection,” says Nugent-Lyne. “But we’d love to know more about the woman behind the clothes. If anyone in the community remembers Margaret, or has photos or stories to share, we’d be thrilled to hear from them. We would like to have a photo of her and learn about her family life such as, what her children’s names were. Every piece of information helps us bring her story — and the stories of garments like this one — to life.”

Trish Nugent-Lyne will present a public talk about the outfit at 12:15pm on Friday, 2nd May, in the Museum. The talk is free and open to all. Donations are welcomed. Following the event, the outfit will remain on display throughout May.

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