Special Collections and Digital Initiatives
The latest oddity to surface in the Auraria Library Digital Collections is the well-meaning, albeit dated, Wonderful World of Clothes, a 1963 UNICEF publication that is part of our UN/UNESCO collections. With illustrations reminiscent of a certain musical Disneyland attraction, and descriptions of traditional dress, this book was an attempt to expose children and pre-teens to a few examples of global garb styles in an approachable and gentle manner. It was also funded by Robert Hall Clothes, a defunct clothier famous for pioneering the concept of "big box stores" in the 1950s and 60s. While some of the illustrations and descriptions are a product of their time and not wholly accurate, this book is a fine example of the kinds of materials produced by the United Nations to raise some awareness of the world at large.
Particularly interesting is that the last two pages are dedicated to spacesuits, which we would all surely be wearing by now, right!?
For more information on this book or any items from our UNESCO collections, please contact Rosemary Evetts or Matthew Mariner.
