Fashion, especially women’s fashion, can instantly bring me back in time to scenes I remember from historical books or movies. Maybe it’s Gone with the Wind. Or Jane Austen. For me, nothing is as redolent of a time and place than women’s fashion, and the fashion exhibit at the Victoria & Albert museum is one of my favorite hangouts.

These women (and men) were so tiny!  I love this simple, elegant frock. So well-made.

These are very in style today, given the Mad Men retro vibe that’s being shown. The style’s not as popular as I thought it would be, but I love it. I remember my mother wearing frocks like these.

Charleston, anyone? The dance, not the city.

This reminds me of women during the Civil War era. They were corseted so tightly they could hardly draw breath–how on earth did they deal with heat and humidity? No wonder swooning was so common!

Oh, I could sit and look at these dresses for hours.

So lovely–doesn’t this shirtwaist outfit look like every turn of the 20th century schoolteacher you ever envisioned?

The workmanship is perfection.

These were beautiful designer clothes from Balmain and others. They’re works of art.

In the “I feel old” category: Overheard two teenage girls looking at 1960s fashion at the V&A:  “Imagine! Granny used to wear these!”

Which era is your favorite for fashion?