Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute

Tonight is the night of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala. It is an exclusive and expensive ($25,000 a ticket!) fundraiser for the museum. We may not be able to attend what has become one of New York City's biggest parties of the year, but we can view the Costume Institute's collection online. That's almost the same, right? Just click here to view clothing from the collection. From gowns to hats to aprons, you can find clothing and jewelry in all kinds of styles from many different time periods. For instance:

Evening Dress from 1842.

Crocheted Baby Bootees from the 1870s

16th Century Spanish Helmet

Many of the items you can view online are not on display in the museum. That's a kind of exclusivity you can enjoy from your couch at home.