Platt Hall Museum of Costume On-Line

Set in its listed Georgian manor house at Rusholme, nothing could be better than visiting this spectacular museum in person. Do go if you get the chance. Here is a linen jacket embroidered with scrolling vine patterns dating from the very early 17th century.

If that is totally impossibly, you can at least enjoy some of the exhibits on-line.

The Gallery of Costume houses one of the most important costume collections in Britain, second only to the V&A in London. It contains over 20,000 fashion items from the 17th century to the present day.

As well as the more usual items of high fashion, it has an interesting collection of historical work clothes such as smocks and clogs – pieces like this get such hard wear that they don’t always survive long enough to get into museum collections.

There is also an excellent collection of 20th-century couture. Click here to visit.