THRIFT STYLE EXHIBIT: American Ingenuity During the Great Depression and World War II

The Marco Island Historical Society (MIHS) presents Thrift Style, a touring exhibit that demonstrates how American homemakers made ends meet during one of the most challenging periods in history. The exhibit is now open at the Marco Island Historical Museum (MIHM) and continues through March 13, 2027. An opening reception on Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 4 to 5:30 PM is free and open to the public. The Thrift Style exhibit is sponsored by Linda Cassens.

Thrift Style provides a nostalgic view into American ingenuity, sensibility, and optimism and a snapshot into domestic life during the Great Depression and World War II. This period was a time of rationing and hardship. Homemakers had to stretch and repurpose the limited resources available to them to make clothing and other household items. They turned to the readily available cloth sacks that were used at the time to package feed, flour, and sugar to make dresses, aprons, and other items. The businesses that used the cloth bags soon caught on to this and manufacturers began producing and marketing patterned and colored sacks and “how-to” pamphlets to provide more interesting options to choose from. This mutually beneficial solution represents one of the best examples of upcycling in our nation’s history and is an inspiration to recycling and repurposing efforts to support sustainability today.

Many of the items made during that time are included in the exhibit. They range from children’s dresses to aprons and coverlets. The exhibit is organized by the Historic Costume and Textile Museum and Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art and toured by ExhibitsUSA, the national touring exhibition program of Mid-America Arts Alliance. 

The Marco Island Historical Museum is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission is free and the site is fully ADA-compliant and accessible to all visitors. For information, call (239) 389-6447 or visit www.themihs.org.