Florida Tech Course Looks Back at 19th Century Costume History

MELBOURNE, FLA. — “19th century Costume History: Critical Approaches to Humanities and Social Sciences,” a fall Florida Tech seminar course, is open to the
community.

The course will take participants through 19th century fashion, culture and history. Topics will include the history of the empire style, court dress, the
Parisian influence, romantic period, crinoline bustle craze and the women’s suffrage movement. The virtues and value of clothing will take on new meaning
with a look at actual historic costumes, lectures and fun class discussions and projects.

Instructor Cressie Murphy-David was educated in the United States fashion capital. She has a bachelor of fine arts degree from the New School of Social
Research in New York City, a certificate in fashion design from Parsons School of Design and a master’s degree in costume studies from New York University.
She was an intern at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute for two years and has taught in the textile department at the University of Rhode
Island. Murphy-David has also been curator for the Historical Society of Rockland County, N.Y.

The course meets Mondays and Wednesdays, from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., starting Aug. 18, on campus. Classes will be held in the Crawford Building, Room 610. The
audit tuition rate is $375. To register, call the Department of Humanities and Communication at (321) 674-8082.