The Hemline.

The Hemline is a cultural documentation project capturing how people in

Massachusetts dress, move, and express themselves, through

archival research, and visual storytelling.

A collage of items including a pair of denim jeans, a portrait of a young woman with red hair, a film strip with three images of different young women, a silver beverage can opener, a red school label, and three luggage tags. The background appears to be a textured, off-white surface.

WHY IT MATTERS

Massachusetts has a distinct creative culture.

It is rooted in its colleges and history.

that has never had a dedicated visual record.

The Hemline fills that gap.

Not trend forecasting.

Not fashion media.

Documentation, the kind that

becomes a historical record.

THE FOUNDER

Dia Smith

Historian, archivist, and writer. She specializes in intellectual history, cultural history, and colonialism. She conducts primary archival research and has spent years developing original scholarly frameworks on how

identity and culture are documented and what gets left out. The Hemline applies that same rigor to the

living record of Massachusetts style.

The Hemline


As Virginia Woolf once wrote in a letter inviting her friends to the countryside, Bring no clothes, here, it's just us. In the same way I encourage you to strip back the punitive structures of clothing, and all their symbolic implications. 

Beyond our respective titles and roles, here, it's just us here and joy lives in that exchange."

- Francesco Risso

Young woman with glasses, black hair, and facial piercings standing outdoors near a pond, wearing a colorful graphic shirt with ladybug designs and a necklace with a cross pendant.
A young woman standing outdoors on autumn leaves, wearing sunglasses, a black hoodie under a black leather jacket with an American flag patch, orange sweatpants, and chunky black boots, with a small black backpack.
A young woman with pink hair smiling outdoors, wearing a white crop top, a knitted beige cardigan, and colorful beaded necklaces, with a church and trees in the background.
A woman with shoulder-length wavy hair, dyed red at the ends, standing on a sidewalk between two rows of bushes with pink flower buds. She is wearing a navy blue and white varsity jacket, beige skirt, patterned tights, white leg warmers, and white bo
A young woman with bright orange hair styled in a messy bun, wearing black lipstick, multiple silver necklaces, and a patterned shirt. She has a green lightning bolt face paint on her cheek and small earrings in her ear.
A woman with curly hair wearing a black face mask, gray blazer, black top, black lace-up corset, black leather skirt, and knee-high black boots, standing outdoors near a body of water with trees and buildings in the background.
Close-up of a young man with curly blonde hair, wearing large mismatched tortoiseshell glasses, a black shirt, pink jacket, gold earrings, and a gold chain, standing outside on a sunny day near a grassy area and buildings.
Person standing against a white wall, wearing a llama hat, glasses, a patterned black and white top, black dress, and fluffy white leg warmers with black shoes.
A smiling young man with glasses, wearing a beige sweater, a pink and white cap, and necklace, posing in front of a concrete wall.
A woman wearing a yellow embroidered kurta and white salwar standing indoors against wooden wall panels.
Close-up profile of a woman with brown hair in a messy bun, wearing colorful earrings and light clothing, with pink and white makeup accents near her eye.
Person with short, multi-colored hair wearing glasses, a black shirt, a patterned open shirt, baggy blue pants, and slippers, standing on green grass near blue utility boxes and a brick building with trees in the background.
Young woman with curly red hair, wearing a vibrant pink and red textured sleeveless crop top, baggy dark denim shorts with multiple chains, colorful socks, and white high-top sneakers, standing on sidewalk outside a store with large glass windows.
A young man with curly hair wearing sunglasses, a white shirt, and necklaces, standing on the side of a road at sunset, pointing or gesturing toward the street.
A person standing outside a building at night, dressed in black with a black jacket, leaning against a textured concrete wall.
A woman with short dark hair, wearing a white shirt, black corset, layered necklaces, and a spiked choker with a red heart pendant. She is smiling and standing near a staircase against a concrete wall.
A woman wearing a large brown furry hat, glasses, and layered necklaces, smiling and posing with her hands on her chest in front of a white brick wall.
Person standing against a beige wall, making a peace sign with their right hand, wearing glasses, a navy and purple jacket, black shirt, grey skirt, black shoes, and carrying a white tote bag.
Young woman with red hair in a braid, white eyelet shirt layered with a patterned sports T-shirt, ripped white jeans, and black boots, standing against a plain off-white wall.
Young woman wearing a black cap, layered necklaces, pearl collar, black graphic shirt, black jacket with fur lining, black pants with white stripe details, and black shoes, standing in front of a red brick wall.
A young woman with short, tousled blue hair outdoors on a cloudy day, smiling minimally, wearing multiple layered silver necklaces, a septum piercing, earrings, and a black t-shirt with a colorful Earth print. She is in a park with brick buildings an
Young man with dark hair standing against a plain white wall, wearing a gray oversized T-shirt, baggy jeans, black sneakers, and accessorized with layered chains, a watch, and a black diagonal shoulder bag.
Young woman with glasses and headphones adjusting her headphones, standing against a stone wall, wearing a gray polo shirt and carrying a black shoulder bag.
A woman with curly blonde hair wearing a dark blue dress, bead necklace, and jeans with patches, standing on a sidewalk in front of green bushes and trees.
A young woman with curly hair standing outdoors on grass in front of a building with large windows and brick wall. She is wearing a gray t-shirt, a black vest, a patterned skirt, and sneakers, with sunglasses and headphones around her neck.
Young person with short curly hair, multiple facial piercings, wearing a red bandana around the neck, sleeveless white shirt, and a gray strap, standing in front of a beige concrete wall.
A young woman wearing glasses, a beige cap, and a purple coat with colorful buttons, standing outdoors in front of a glass window with reflections of trees and buildings.
Two young adults with dark hair and alternative fashion styles pose on a dark wooden staircase with textured concrete walls. The woman on the left wears a white blouse, black corset, and layered skirt, while the man on the right wears a red sweater,
Person standing outdoors wearing black coat, plaid shirt, distressed jeans, black boots, black beret with red heart pin, pink-tinted glasses, layered chains, and a denim bag with patches, in front of a concrete wall and glass door.
Person wearing a black blazer, patterned shirt, and black pants displaying multiple rings on fingers and a watch on their left wrist, standing on a sidewalk with yellow flowers nearby.
Person wearing a beige knitted cardigan with patches and multiple rings, holding hands in front of their torso with a concrete wall background.
A person wearing a white blouse with ruffles, a pink zip-up top, and a pink argyle skirt, showing their hands with manicured nails and rings.
Person displaying multiple rings on fingers, with painted nails featuring daisies, wearing a checked blazer and black top with laces, standing outdoors on a concrete surface.
Close-up of a person showing both hands with multiple rings, wearing a white shirt and black pants.

The Hemline

The Hemline

Person standing on green carpet, wearing light blue shorts, white shirt, white socks, and brown shoes, with hands down at sides and a fan in front.

Thank you for being part of this beginning.
Your style, your story.
With love, always.

—The Hemline