The Institute of Historical Research, in collaboration with Senate House Library, has announced the launch of a new online exhibition of digitized fashion catalogues from the First World War: "Fashion and Consumption in the First World War: Department Store Catalogues 1916-17." These select catalogues of women’s clothing illustrate the war’s
impact on materials, the roles of women, and fashion itself. According to Dr. Jordan Landes, research librarian at the Senate House Library, "The combined impacts of lower consumer spending, reduced availability of higher quality fabrics and a growing need for clothing that allowed freedom of movement for women to work shaped the fashions following 1915." The site includes short essays on relevant topics and many full catalogues from the period.
The Princeton University Library has digitized a number of posters from the Interborough Rapid Transit Subway Company . The posters, designed by the public relations firm Ivy Lee, were displayed in subway cars to provide information to riders about changes in fares and routes, safety issues, and other matters of interest. The collection consists of 385 images dating from 1918 to 1932; many of them provide financial information about rates, company dividends, and a general look at an early rapid transit system. October 29, update: Jonathan Rees over at "More or Less Bunk" was moved by this post to go off in search of a better site, and found the massive collection of the London Transport Museum , which displays over 5,000 items in a searchable collection .
