MORGE FILE

FASHION HISTORY

MORGE FILE PROJECT:

HISTORICAL FASHION RESEARCH: 1850s–1980s

For this assignment, I was tasked with creating a Morgue File, a research-based collection of fashion references spanning from the 1850s through the 1980s. The goal was to analyze how silhouettes, materials, cultural movements, and design priorities evolved over more than a century. This project emphasized detailed image curation, historical accuracy, and clear visual organization.

This was an individual project, completed independently. All research, decade analysis, and image selection were done by me.

THE PROCESS

For each decade, I researched silhouettes, materials, construction methods, and cultural influences using academic sources, museum archives, and verified fashion history references.
I curated historically accurate images that best represented each decade’s defining looks, such as corsetry of the 1860s, wartime utility fashion of the 1940s, or bold prints of the 1970s.
After gathering visuals, I wrote brief summaries explaining key characteristics, noting how external factors (technology, war, economy, youth culture) shaped each decade’s aesthetic.
I organized the finished Morgue File into a clean, chronological PDF that showcases the evolution of fashion in a clear, visually engaging way.

SKILLS

Historical Fashion Research -

Researched major fashion shifts across 13 decades, identifying key silhouettes, fabrics, designers, and cultural influences.
Image Curation & Archival Work -

Collected, sourced, labeled, and organized visual references with attention to authenticity and decade-appropriate representation.
Trend Analysis -

Connected visual evidence to social, political, and cultural changes—such as industrialization, wartime restrictions, subcultures, and youth movements.
Visual Organization & Layout -

Created clear, decade-by-decade pages that were easy to navigate and visually consistent.
Critical Thinking -

Compared similarities and differences across periods, noting how changes in technology, gender roles, and global events shaped dress.

OUTCOME

This project gave me a deeper understanding of fashion history, cultural storytelling, and visual analysis. It enhanced my ability to recognize references in modern design and helped build a stronger foundation for forecasting, design research, and brand studies. The completed Morgue File now serves as a long-term reference tool in my design and merchandising work.