Alberton Museum
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AM.2007.026.096
(click image to enlarge)
Object Name
Dress
Catagory
Personal Artifact
Sub-Category
Clothing Outerwear
Date
Early: 1939 Late: 1947
Materials
Silk, lace, and metal
Object History
This 1927 “Mother’s leaving outfit” goes with a pair of brown suede shoes also in the same collection.
In the 1920s older women started copying the fashions of younger women. They aspired to achieve the "thinness and bosom-less" look of early adolescence. Skirts with flouncing pleats were popular by 1926. Evening clothes were made with luxury fabrics, mostly silks designed to move while dancing. Drop waists and uneven hemlines were in fashion in this time. By 1929 long sleeves were back in fashion and knife pleated skirts with hems approximately one inch below knee.
Description
Apricot, beige; machine stitched; jewel neckline of lace, top left side under the collar an extra piece of fabric, drapes loosely at the breast and meets at the waist, then to the thigh and attaches to a small belt of fabric that wraps around the back at the waist. Full sleeves, snaps at the cuffs, turned up cuffs; drop waist to hips; skirt has pleated ruffles on left side starting at waist; two layers of skirt, first is see through nylon attached to second layer; on back is belt of loose fabric wrapping around, five pleats sewn in the fabric at neck, longer in back then front. Height 102cm Width 40 cm Length 54cm.