A Newport House Party Weekend is the theme of the Preservation Society of Newport County's 2009 costume exhibition at Rosecliff, presenting a collection of designer evening fashions of the 1970s.

The exhibition is inspired by a selection of photo albums

from the collection of Mrs. Alletta Morris McBean (1912-1986), whose

Newport summer cottage Chepstow is one of the Preservation Society's

historic properties. The albums depict some of Mrs. McBean's weekend

cocktail and dinner parties held at Chepstow. Some of these dinners

preceded Newport's seasonal charity events of the era, as well as

Newport's Bicentennial celebrations in 1976. Mrs. McBean's family

members were long-standing Newport summer residents, a tradition she

continued throughout her life, using Chepstow for the traditional

three-month summer season.

The exhibition is arranged around the concept of a 1970s

dinner at a summer cottage, followed by another evening's dinner/dancing

at a seasonal charity event-a house party weekend. The dresses shown

might have been worn to parties at Mrs. McBean's house, or elsewhere

around the city during such occasions. One evening ensemble designed by

Malcolm Starr (circa 1970) was indeed worn by Mrs. McBean. It is a lime

green tunic-style dress accented with elaborate yellow beading. Other

well-known designers featured in the show include Hubert Givenchy and

Christian Dior. Among the Givenchys are a flowing red chiffon evening

dress with a horizontal-pleated bodice and a matching cape; the other is

a classic solid black ensemble emblazoned with sparkling rhinestones

along the neckline and cuffs. Both were worn by Mrs. Martha S. Crawford

von Bulow. The show also features designs by Dimitri Kritsas, Arnold

Scaasi, Adolfo, Halston, and Oscar de la Renta, that were worn by

several of Newport's leading ladies including Mrs. Oatsie Charles, Mrs.

Elinor Dorrance Ingersoll, Mrs. John G. Winslow and Mrs. John R. Drexel

III.

Curated by Preservation Society Curator Paul F. Miller and

Associate Curator Charles J. Burns, the exhibition will be on display in

the Lesley Bogert Crawford costume galleries on the 2nd floor of

Rosecliff through November 19. Admission to the exhibit is included

with any Rosecliff tour ticket.

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island is a non-profit

educational organization accredited by the American Association of

Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area's historic

architecture, landscapes and decorative arts. Its 11 historic

properties-seven of them National Historic Landmarks-span more than 250

years of American architectural and social development.

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