Sunday, 16 August 2026
Kirsty Corbett sits down with Catherine and Megan, curators of the National Trust’s summer exhibition Wearing Feelings: Childhood in Black & Bright, now open at The Children’s Country House at Sudbury Hall until 7 September 2026.
The exhibition explores 150 years of children’s fashion, revealing how clothing reflects identity, emotion, family life and changing attitudes to childhood. Catherine and Megan explain how garments — from treasured keepsakes to everyday outfits — tell deeply personal stories about the children who wore them and the eras they lived through.
They discuss the inspiration behind the exhibition, the process of selecting and interpreting historic clothing, and how the Museum of Childhood’s collection helps visitors understand the emotional and social history of childhood. The curators also share highlights from the exhibition and what families, fashion fans and history lovers can expect when they visit.
A unique National Trust experience, Wearing Feelings offers a vivid, sensory journey through childhood dress — from restrictive Victorian garments to expressive modern styles — showing how clothing has shaped and reflected children’s freedom over time.