The clothes we choose to wear send a message. They can reflect our personality and tastes; communicate wealth, status or power; convey our cultural or religious beliefs. They can be practical – tell people the job we do or reflect the environment we live in. They project the identity we want or need to display to others.

This exhibition celebrates costume. The clothes cared for and kept in families for generations and the portraits that have recorded style through the ages. From politics to party time, football to firefighting- these are some of our favourites from the collection.