The revival of Welsh nationalism, the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and the rise of Lloyd George to the office of Prime Minister, led to a new awareness by both the Welsh and others of the meaning of Welshness. Despite disputes between various factions as to what this meant, the Welsh woman, in her tall hat, remained a symbol of Wales. Girls seem to have first worn costume to celebrate St David’s day during the early years of the First World War and many women’s choirs adopted the costume during the inter-war period. The establishment of the International Eisteddfod prompted the design of a distinctive Welsh costume which was both traditional and comfortable to dance in.

This exhibition took place at the National Library of Wales between 21 June and 4 October 2008.