The Steamboat Pilot & Today

A wedding dress and tuxedo are part of a new exhibit of historical clothes and other fashion items from early twentieth century Steamboat Springs which sits in the Tread of Pioneers Museum on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Brian Ray

Katie Peck, the curator of the Tread of Pioneers Museum, shows off a vintage bonnet on Thursday afternoon which is part of an exhibit of historical clothes and other fashion items from early twentieth century Steamboat Springs. Photo by Brian Ray

A small collection of fancy women's tops is part of a new exhibit of historical clothes and other fashion items from early twentieth century Steamboat Springs which sits in the Tread of Pioneers Museum on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Brian Ray

A woman’s wool skiing outfit is part of a new exhibit of historical clothes and other fashion items from early twentieth-century Steamboat Springs which sits in the Tread of Pioneers Museum on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Brian Ray

A new exhibit of historical clothes and other fashion items from early twentieth-century Steamboat Springs sits in the Tread of Pioneers Museum on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Brian Ray

During longtime Steamboat Springs resident and F.M. Light & Sons heiress Annabeth Lockhart’s childhood, Easter meant more than just a church service and egg hunt. It meant a new hat and a new pair of patent leather shoes.

“They were precious,” she said. “We always hoped the mud puddles would disappear for Easter so we wouldn’t ruin our new shoes.”

Some of Lockhart’s memories are echoed in a new exhibit at the Tread of Pioneers Museum dedicated to exposing the “fashion, function and fiber” of clothing worn by Yampa Valley residents living at the turn of the century.

Museum curator Katie Peck said the exhibit looks beyond what clothes say about a person, instead examining what historic clothing says about what was going on in the community in the early 1920s.

The museum’s extensive textile collection, which includes corsets, petticoats, wool everything, bathing suits, wedding dresses and traditional ranch wear, went on display Wednesday. The exhibit runs through May 2008.

“My first goal was to show as much of our textile collection as possible because it’s something the public doesn’t get to see enough,” she said. “Fashion doesn’t have to be all about frills and ruffles.”

And in 1900s Steamboat Springs, much like today, fashion was about functionality.

“People here have always liked to look presentable, but it’s a working community, so all the clothing was a little scaled down,” she said.

Most residents only owned a few homemade items of clothing they washed once a week and ironed before wearing, she said.

“Doing laundry back then was an entire routine,” Peck said. “They ironed everything from long underwear to bed sheets. Everything was stiff.”

Jack Sprengle moved to Steamboat Springs 66 years ago and said his fashion routine hasn’t changed much in the past six decades.

“I wore Levi’s all through high school, and I still do,” he said. “Steamboat has always been very casual, but it’s all right. I’m comfortable.”

Lockhart agreed.

“I don’t think people dress up as much now, but Steamboat is pretty casual,” she said.

Living in a community known for its recreation, Peck said displays of old ski gear will catch people’s eyes.

“Women used to ski in skirts and everything they wore was wool,” she said. “We have all this high-tech, gortex breathable ski gear, and it’s crazy to think what people wore then.”

Lockhart said she and her sisters adored their wool ski suits.

“I had pretty suits with matching hat, top and pants,” she said. “It didn’t matter that snow stuck to them because we stayed warm. Except for our toes and fingers.”