Accession No. RARE.2023.0018: Purchased, 2022 August
[identification of item], Mary Lee Austin “My Wardrobe” Assignment, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0365, Rare Books & Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
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Processed by: Lindsay Resnick, 2023 March; Finding aid written by: Lindsay Resnick, 2023 March
Mary Lee Austin (born 1921) was, as of 1940, a college student living in Ceres, California. It is unknown which college she was studying at or what course of study she was involved in.
The Mary Lee Austin "My Wardrobe" Assignment contains a manuscript created as an assignment by Mary Lee Austin on November 30, 1940 for an unknown class.
The manuscript is a visual inventory of the clothing that Austin owned at the time it was created. It is composed of pen and wash drawings of various outfits, embellished with watercolor paint or crayon. Under each image drawn in the manuscript is a description of the outfit shown and the material it is made of, for example "black sport coat (twill)," or "navy blue cotton shorts and red necklace." The images are copied from contemporary sewing patterns, and appear to have been drawn originally in pencil, with ink and paint being added later.
The manuscript also contains a written inventory of all of Austin's clothing and accessories, the cost and age of each item, its condition, and its yearly cost to own, as well as Austin's feelings about each item's quality, fit, and style. The final page of the manuscript contains a "Clothing Plan," which lists items that Austin planned to buy in the following months, their probable and actual costs, and the reason for their purchase. The assignment appears to focus on how economical each outfit is, and how long Austin planned to wear it. A red pencil marking on the back of the final page of the manuscript indicates that Austin received a "C+" grade for this assignment.
Laid into the manuscript is the program for the 1932 Turlock Union High School (as of 2023, Turlock High School) commencement.