The vast and brilliant collection of fashion and dress at the National Trust gives us intimate access to the life and style of some of the most influential and interesting people to have lived, worked and dressed themselves in National Trust sites. From footmen in their finest livery to a famous farmer’s clogs; knickers, nightshirts, and ballgowns of the rich and powerful, the collection is a veritable treasure trove, a dressing-up box of stories, tales, fabrications and fancies.

In their upcoming publication 100 Things to Wear: Fashion from the Collections of the National Trust, the wardrobes of the National Trust have been thrown open to uncover the significant part that fashion and dress have played, from the religious embroideries of the 15^th century right up to the sharply cut suits of the 1990s.

100 Things to Wear: Fashion from the Collections of the National Trust will be published on 4 September 2025.

Image credits: Bess of Hardwick’s robes / Catalogue ref: NT 1129653. (©National Trust Images/Pete Huggins)