Inspired by HBO’s hit period drama The Gilded Age, join art and culture historian Dr. Elizabeth L. Block for a discussion of her latest book, Gilded Age Fashion: More than 50 Iconic Looks and the Stories Behind Them, which explores the dazzling fashions worn by the era’s most influential trendsetters. Step into the exuberance and glamour of elite American society in the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s, when families such as the Vanderbilts, Astors, and Rockefellers dressed for grand occasions in the United States and Europe.

Following the talk, join Block for a book signing and special reception, and get a close-up look at select Gilded Age costumes from the Museum’s collection with Laura Vookles, Chair of the Curatorial Department.

Glenview, the Museum’s historic home, appears in all four seasons of HBO’s The Gilded Age as the home of Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy). Season four premieres on November 1.

Gilded Age Fashion talk by Elizabeth L. Block at the V&A Museum, London

Gilded Age Fashion talk by Elizabeth L. Block at the National Gallery, London

Gilded Age Fashion and Jewelry

Join Jonathan Wahl, Director Emeritus of the Jewelry Center, for an in-depth discussion on the fashion and jewelry of the Gilded Age.

Guests are Elizabeth Block, author of Gilded Age Fashion; author and jewelry historian, Marion Fasel; and Kasia Walicka Maimone, costume designer of the Gilded Age on HBO. The Gilded Age spanned the 1870s-90s and marked the ascendancy of the United States to a global power, with rapid growth in industrialization immigration, and wealth creation. How did this expansion affect what people wore and what was fashionable? Are there parallels to today’s era? Join us to find out.