Philadelphia's Secret Fashion Museum

Did you know that right in the heart of Drexel University's campus, you can come face to face with fashion history? Phillyist didn't. So when we heard about the Drexel University Historic Costume Collection, we knew we had to get there, stat.

Open to the public by appointment only, the Collection contains gowns, jackets, and other articles of clothing from the 1870s through the 1990s. Every item in the collection was donated by Philadelphians. When a tour is scheduled, the pieces are pulled from their climate controlled area and acid-proof boxes, put onto mannequins, and stuffed into a room smaller than Phillyist's own living room.

Because it is a teaching collection and not an "exhibit," there is no glass, no barriers -- absolutely nothing between you and these amazing, historic objects of beauty. While Phillyist and the other members of our tour did not attempt it, students in the fashion program are able to even touch some of the pieces to examine closely their embellishment and basic construction. Now, we don't know about you, but even without pawing it, having an exquisite Edwardian jacket 6 inches in front of our face actually gave Phillyist goosebumps. Our excitement was probably akin to a sports fan meeting his favorite quarterback, only our stars are the likes of Schiaparelli, Dior, and Worth.

Phillyist will now post our own humble photos and descriptions of just a tiny piece of the collection. To see any of these in greater detail, visit the Historic Costume Collection's site and click Search. They use Quicktime to give you a 360 degree view of the pieces (just click and drag to rotate), as well as provide "hotspots" you can click on to enlarge details.

This Givenchy beaded evening gown, believed to have been worn by none other than Grace Kelly herself, particularly intrigued us. The stranded beads around the neckline dangle gracefully, forming a built-in necklace. Truly exquisite!