Clothing & Accessories

Women's Gown (cheong sam) ca. 1930

Work, play, fashion, economic class, religious faith, even politics—all these aspects of American life and more are woven into clothing. The Museum cares for one of the nation's foremost collections of men's, women's, and children's garments and accessories—from wedding gowns and military uniforms to Halloween costumes and bathing suits.

The collections include work uniforms, academic gowns, clothing of presidents and first ladies, T-shirts bearing protest slogans, and a clean-room "bunny suit" from a manufacturer of computer microchips. Beyond garments, the collections encompass jewelry, handbags, hair dryers, dress forms, hatboxes, suitcases, salesmen's samples, and thousands of fashion prints, photographs, and original illustrations. The more than 30,000 artifacts here represent the changing appearance of Americans from the 1700s to the present day.

Resource Type: Main garments

Woman's Dress, 2002

This evening dress was created by internationally renowned designer Oscar de la Renta in the fall of 2002 for the House of Balmain.Oscar de la Renta, born in 1932, was the son of a Dominican Republic insurance agent. He received his education in Santo Domingo and in Madrid.
Description
This evening dress was created by internationally renowned designer Oscar de la Renta in the fall of 2002 for the House of Balmain.
Oscar de la Renta, born in 1932, was the son of a Dominican Republic insurance agent. He received his education in Santo Domingo and in Madrid. While studying to become a painter, he began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses to help pay for his studies. He first thought seriously about a career in fashion when he designed a debutante gown for the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, John Cabot Lodge. Soon after a photograph of the dress appeared in Life magazine, he was given his first professional job at Eisa, Balenciaga’s couture house in Madrid. In 1961, de la Renta was hired by Antonio del Castillo as an assistant at the Lanvin-Castillo couture house in Paris. He moved to New York to design for the custom-made collection at Elizabeth Arden in 1963, and in 1965 he joined the wholesale house of Jane Derby and became a partner in the business. After Derby retired in 1967, de la Renta changed the name of the company to his own ready-to-wear label, producing feminine, romantic, and dramatic evening clothes as well as accessories and fragrances for both men and women.
In 1993, de la Renta was hired by the House of Balmain to design their couture collection. He was the first American designer since Mainbocher to design couture in Paris, France. De la Renta worked at Balmain for ten years while also running his own company in the United States. In 2002, this dress, which was from the final collection designed by Oscar de la Renta for the House of Balmain, was shown on the fashion runway in Paris and then worn by Lee Radziwell, Jacqueline Kennedy’s sister, to the American Friends of Versailles event at the United Nations in September of 2002. It was also loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute for their exhibition “Goddess the Classical Mode” in 2003 before being donated to the Smithsonian in the fall of 2003 during a presentation called “An Evening with Oscar de la Renta.”
This two-piece dress is constructed of gilt cock feathers attached to a silk top and a gold lame skirt. The top is sleeveless with a wide bateau neckline formed with a band of small hand-clipped overlapping feathers horizontally placed from shoulder to shoulder, meeting at the center front and back. The remainder of the top is covered with small feathers vertically overlapping in graduated rows that end in three rows of larger feathers from the waist to the hip area. There is a center back nylon zipper opening with a hook-and-eye closure. The back and bust darts shape the fit of the top with a gold China silk lining. The skirt is a column of crimped and pleated silk lame that hangs straight at the sides, ending in a lettuce-edged bottom. An invisible left side zipper opening ends with a hook-and-eye closure at the waistline. A gold China silk fabric partially lines the skirt. A Balmain/Paris label is sewn to the inside lining at the left back neckline. The dress measures 19 1/8" at the center back of the top, 43 1/4" at the center back of the skirt, and 26" at the waistline of the skirt.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
2002
costume nmah
National Museum of American History. Division of Social History
designer
de la Renta, Oscar
used by
Radziwill, Lee
maker
Balmain, Pierre
ID Number
2003.0274.002
accession number
2003.0274
catalog number
2003.0274.002

1915 - 1925 Chinese American Girl's Trousers

One of the Lee daughters wore this casual Chinese-style outfit on special occasions, for none of the children wore Chinese dress for every day wear.
Description (Brief)
One of the Lee daughters wore this casual Chinese-style outfit on special occasions, for none of the children wore Chinese dress for every day wear. The trouser band or fu tau , translated as the “head of the trousers,” was folded over and secured with a belt or cord and covered by the vest.
Lee B. Lok, his wife Ng Shee, and their seven children lived above the Quong Yuen Shing & Co. store in New York City's Chinatown. Though the children wore Western clothes and participated in the local Scout troop and other clubs, their parents required them to attend Chinese school each day, from 4-7 PM.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.10
catalog number
1992.0620.10
accession number
1992.0620

Woman's Dress, 1750-1780

Three individual pieces comprise this sacque or sack dress – an opened-front dress with the trademark box-pleats dropping from the back with a matching petticoat and a stomacher.
Description
Three individual pieces comprise this sacque or sack dress – an opened-front dress with the trademark box-pleats dropping from the back with a matching petticoat and a stomacher. The stomacher is a removable, decorative panel that fills in the v-shaped void that extends from the chest to the waist in the front of a gown. Mrs. Eliza Lucas Pinckney, the original owner, was the wife of Col. Chief Justice Charles Pinckney and the mother of two Revolutionary War veterans who became important early American politicians. According to historical records, the silk for this gown, and two others, was made from silkworms raised on the Pinckney plantation near Charleston, SC.
The practice of sericulture, or the rearing of silkworms, gained renewed interest in the American colonies during the early to mid 18th century. Plantation owners first in Georgia and later South Carolina planted mulberry trees to accommodate the Asian imported silkworms. Sericulture was never profitable enough to overtake cotton as a viable textile crop in the American south. However, Mrs. Pinckney was a trailblazer in colonial agriculture actively supporting the cultivation of both indigo and silk in her region.
The silk thread, produced in Charleston under the supervision of Mrs. Pinckney, was then exported to England to be woven into damask dress fabric in Spitalfields, an area of London renowned for its weaving industry. One dress was said to have been gifted to Princess Augusta, the Dowager Princess of Wales (mother of the future George III) and the other to Lord Chesterfield, a friend of the Colonies.
In the late 1920s, this dress was altered considerably so that it could to be worn as a wedding dress by a member of the Pinckney family.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1750 - 1780
owned by
Pinckney, Eliza Lucas
maker
Pinckney, Eliza Lucas
ID Number
2008.0002.001
catalog number
2008.0002.001
accession number
2008.0002

1895 - 1905 Chinese American Woman's Trousers

Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr.
Description (Brief)
Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr. Lee in New York City in 1906.
The pair of matching trousers was often worn under the pleated skirt with a rectangular apron or wei chu’u.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.21
catalog number
1992.0620.21
accession number
1992.0620

Guayabera

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2009
retailer
Olverita's
ID Number
2009.0173.001
accession number
2009.0173
catalog number
2009.0173.001

Quinceanera dress

Natalia Flores wore this pink silver-embroidered evening gown for her Quinceanera held in Chicago in 2006. Quinceaneras are a Latina religious tradition that celebrate the maturing of a girl into a woman.
Description
Natalia Flores wore this pink silver-embroidered evening gown for her Quinceanera held in Chicago in 2006. Quinceaneras are a Latina religious tradition that celebrate the maturing of a girl into a woman. Traditionally, the celebration takes place on the girl's fifteenth birthday, is religious in nature, and involves her dressing in a formal gown.
American immigrants have strived to preserve their cultural identities through performing these traditions. Although Natalia's mother did not have a Quinceanera in Mexico, she thought it was important for her daughter to experience this custom in America.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2006
distributor
P.C. Mary's Inc.
wearer
Flores, Natalia
maker
unknown
ID Number
2009.0169.001
accession number
2009.0169
catalog number
2009.0169.001

Woman's Dress, 1968–69

This particular paper dress was known as a “Poster Dress,” being the invention of Harvey Gordon, an American artist who was living in England. He thought that paper could be treated as if it were cloth.
Description
This particular paper dress was known as a “Poster Dress,” being the invention of Harvey Gordon, an American artist who was living in England. He thought that paper could be treated as if it were cloth. When these dresses were introduced in the United States in 1968 they sold for $3.00. This dress was purchased and worn by Jean Stuart, wife of the donor, in Washington, D.C. She liked the idea of paper dresses and was particularly drawn to this one because the cat depicted in the design resembled her own cat. This cat dress was featured, along with some of the other Poster Dresses, in Life magazine on April 5, 1968.
The disposable dress was a short-lived phenomenon from about 1966 to 1968. It started when the Scott Paper Company came up with an idea to sell its paper towels by demonstrating that the paper was attractive enough to be worn. With a mail-in promotion in magazines, the company invited consumers in 1966 to send a coupon from a Scott product, along with $1.25, in order to receive a paper dress of either a black and white Op Art pattern or a red bandana print. The campaign became an overnight sensation, with over 500,000 dresses shipped. The demand for the dresses spurred other companies to develop new textures, finishes, and colorful prints. The big appeal for these dresses was their eye-catching patterns and images. People hosted paper parties in their home and for charity balls, which were called “paper balls.” Some wore disposable paper wedding dresses, bathing suits, jewelry, and underwear. By 1968, however, paper dresses lost their appeal. Wearers found them to be ill-fitting and uncomfortable, the painted surfaces were often unstable, and there were concerns about flammability. Most importantly, their novelty had worn off due to overexposure.
This one-piece paper dress is a black and ecru print of a blown-up cat photo. The image of the cat’s face is off center and covers most of the upper portion of the dress. The same photo is positioned on both the front and the back. The dress is a sleeveless A-line cut with a scooped neckline in the front and the back. It is constructed with shoulder and side seams and darts for fitting. The neckline, armholes, and bottom edge are left raw with no finishing. The dress measures 34 inches at the center back.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1968-1969
user
Stuart, Jean
maker
Poster Dress
ID Number
1996.0365.001
accession number
1996.0365
catalog number
1996.0365.001

Woman's Dress, 1860

This dress was worn by Emeline Butler Posey, who was born September 12, 1836, as a “second day” dress when she married Henry Dixon Posey in November 1860 in Henderson County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Harbison Butler, a prosperous farmer in the area.
Description
This dress was worn by Emeline Butler Posey, who was born September 12, 1836, as a “second day” dress when she married Henry Dixon Posey in November 1860 in Henderson County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Harbison Butler, a prosperous farmer in the area. In addition to Emeline, Harbison and Mary Butler had seven children. The last was born in 1854, and Mrs. Butler died before the 1860 Census. Henry’s parents were also farmers, and in addition to Henry Dixon, his parents had twelve children.
It does not appear that Emeline saved her wedding dress, but both the “second day” dress with headdress and Mr. Posey’s wedding vest were passed down through the family until they were donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1989. From what little we know about the “second day” tradition, we believe that this special dress was worn for wedding festivities the day after the wedding. Many women, especially in the South, had their photographs taken in their “second day”dress. The photograph pictured here shows Emeline Posey wearing this dress. We do not have the collar which would have been a separate piece.
The dress itself is very fashionable for the period. The skirt is very full and would have required a very large hoop, circular in form, to create the proper silhouette. Even then, it is evident from the dress that Mrs. Posey was a tall and very slender woman, and the skirt is much longer than usual.
This one-piece “second day” dress is constructed from deep green, black, and gold thread plaid silk with a woven pattern stripe. The fitted bodice has a center front opening with twelve pairs of brass hooks-and-eyes and eight deep green acorn-shaped buttons with silk thread covering and tassels for a closure. It has a round neckline and sloping shoulders with dropped, shaped long sleeves with capped over sleeves and diagonal cuffs at the wrist. One and one-eighth-inch wide trim consisting of vertical green moiré embroidered silk thread lozenges and one-eighth-inch wide black silk pleated with a picot-edge border is applied to the cuffs and the cap over sleeves. The waistline is straight with inserted piping, and the attached pleated skirt section is very full. The bodice is lined with glazed white cotton with green glazed cotton lining the sleeves. Four stays are inserted in the front bodice. The dress measures 55 1/4 inches at the center back.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1860
1860-11-08
used by
Posey, Emeline Butler
maker
unknown
ID Number
1989.0295.014
accession number
1989.0295
catalog number
1989.0295.014

Woman's Dress, 1900–05

There is no information as to who wore this dress.Cotton dresses such as this one were often advertised at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century as “wash dresses,” as they were easily laundered.
Description
There is no information as to who wore this dress.
Cotton dresses such as this one were often advertised at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century as “wash dresses,” as they were easily laundered. While this dress could have been ready-made, most likely it was made at home. Although it is relatively simple in construction, the maker took care to add decorative details such as the bias appliqués and the self-covered buttons, neither of which served any structural need but simply made the dress more stylish. The dress is shown with a cotton apron that was typical for the period and the kind of apron that a woman might have worn for doing light household tasks.
This one-piece dress is constructed of a black and white plaid cotton. The bodice has a high stand collar trimmed with a band of embroidered white cotton that closes with three pearl buttons. The center front opening in the bodice has twelve pearl buttons on the right side and worked buttonholes on the left side. Tucks in the bodice at center front run from the neckline to the waistline, and tucks starting at the shoulders release part way down into the bodice front. The bodice back has shirring at the waist to control the fullness with a bias strip, trimmed with four self-covered buttons, applied vertically at the center back. A cummerbund effect is created at the waist with a wide bias band that is attached to the skirt but loose from the bodice at the upper edge. The lightly boned waistband closes with two pearl buttons. The long, narrow sleeves have the fullness controlled at the wrists by tucks. A self-bias band is applied to the outer portion of the sleeves, which come to a point at the lower edge and are trimmed with two self-covered buttons. The wrist openings of the sleeves are edged with embroidered white cotton. The skirt section has a center front placket opening with eight hooks-and-eyes for closure. Tucks extend from the waist, releasing at the lower hip area. Two bias bands are applied at the lower skirt with a fold over hem. The dress is unlined, and the seam edges are raw on the inside.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1900-1905
maker
unknown
ID Number
1986.0202.11
accession number
1986.0202
catalog number
1986.0202.11

banyan

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1745 - 1769
ID Number
CS.006611
catalog number
006611
accession number
28810

Woman's Dress, Wedding, 1956

This dress, custom designed by the renowned French fashion designer Christian Dior, was worn by Rena Kipnis Sherman at her wedding to Henry Sherman in June 1956 in New York City.
Description
This dress, custom designed by the renowned French fashion designer Christian Dior, was worn by Rena Kipnis Sherman at her wedding to Henry Sherman in June 1956 in New York City. The bride’s father, Leon Kipnis, was an accountant whose firm represented Christian Dior in the United States. Dior gave this dress as a personal wedding gift to the family. Dior designed for many celebrity clients, including Olivia de Havilland, and he designed her wedding dress as well. It is believed by the donor, Joyce Rudick, that the fabric and style for this dress were chosen in Paris and made to measurements supplied to Dior in Paris. The dress was then altered after being sent to the United States. The dress echoes Dior’s earlier “New Look” style with the rounded shoulders, cinched waist, and long full skirt of luxurious fabrics. Dior liked the transparent look and feminine lightness of patterned lace, which is seen in this dress.
Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 to a wealthy family in Granville, Normandy, France. After studying political science, he served in the military for two years. He then began his fashion career by selling sketches of hats to Parisians in 1935. Before and after WWII, Dior worked for a number of design houses, but in 1946, he launched the House of Dior backed by the textile manufacturer Marcel Boussac. By 1958, he had salons in fifteen countries. Dior was particularly known for the “New Look,” which was his first collection in 1947. It featured narrow shoulders, a constricted waist, and a long, very full skirt. Dior felt that the postwar era was the time to bring femininity back to fashion, and the opulent clothing style he created helped to re-establish Paris as the center of the fashion world. The designs of Dior represented consistent elegance, and his name was synonymous with luxury and haute couture. During the 1950s, Dior continued as a trend setter and dictated style with the themed collections he created. After Dior’s sudden death in Italy on October 24, 1957, Yves St. Laurent, his assistant for four years, took over as head designer. Although Christian Dior only designed under his own name for a decade before his death, he was one the most important and influential designers of his era.
This white lace wedding dress consists of a fitted lace bodice and a tiered skirt section. The bodice is constructed of white silk lace over white tulle and taffeta, with a center front seam and bust and waist darts. The taffeta peplum extends under the skirt section to create a smooth line. The long sleeves with pointed turned-back cuffs are darted at the elbows and are set in at the front armholes but dolman style at the back with gussets. A center back opening has seven laced covered buttons with bound buttonholes. The front neckline is open partially at the center front seam and is trimmed with two layers of scalloped lace to create a jabot effect. A V-neckline is created at the front with four layers of scalloped lace extending into two layers of scalloped lace at the back neckline. A narrow bow trims the center front neckline. The skirt section consists of two gathered tiers that are constructed of three layers of tulle and one of net under each upper layer of lace. The upper tier extends longer at back and the lower tier forms a trained effect at hemline. The net layer of the lower tier is attached to an under skirt lining with a wide bias hem reinforced with horsehair for stiffness. The skirt section is attached to a contoured waistband that is three inches wide at front tapering to two inches at back with a hook-and-eye closure at the back. The waist measures 24 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1956-06-00
used by
Sherman, Rena Kipnis
maker
Dior, Christian
wedding gift from
Dior, Christian
maker
Christian Dior, Inc.
ID Number
1992.0205.001

Woman's Dress, 1862–68

This dress was worn by Sallie Mason Faulkner in Christian County, Kentucky. Born Sallie Coleman Mason on July 28, 1847, she married Ephraim James Faulkner on December 9, 1862 when she was just fifteen. Mr.
Description
This dress was worn by Sallie Mason Faulkner in Christian County, Kentucky. Born Sallie Coleman Mason on July 28, 1847, she married Ephraim James Faulkner on December 9, 1862 when she was just fifteen. Mr. Faulkner, who was a farmer, came from a neighboring county but purchased land in Christian County in the 1860s. Mrs. Faulkner died in 1868, six years after they were married. According to family tradition, this was the dress she wore the day she died. We do not know the cause of her death. She had four children, one of whom died in infancy. Their granddaughters donated this dress to the museum. At the time of the donation, the donors stated that Ephraim had served in the Federal (Union) Army during the Civil War. Their other grandfather (maternal) had served in the Confederacy. This would not have been unusual, as Kentucky was divided over the issue of slavery. However, to date we have been unable to track down Ephraim's service records on either side of the conflict.
Based on its construction, this dress would have been considered a "work" dress. Most work dresses of the mid-nineteenth century have an inset waistband, fuller sleeves, and a bodice cut with a looser fit than more stylish dresses. However, this dress includes decorative trimming. As we learn more about the family’s economic circumstances, we might be able to ascertain whether this was an everyday dress of a woman from a substantial farm family or a "best" dress of a less affluent farm woman.
This one-piece dress is constructed from a printed cotton calico that has a brown ground with an abstract design in beige, red, and cream. The unlined bodice section has a slightly V-neckline edged with piping. A center front opening has six worked buttonholes on the left side and dark gray buttons on the right side, and is trimmed with a narrow white braid to create a placket effect. The inset waistband is piped at the bottom edge and is lined with a napped fabric. The bodice front is gathered into the waistband at either side of the center front, and the bodice back is cut in one piece and gathered into the waistband at the center back. The front of the bodice extends slightly into the back at the shoulders and the side seams. The long sleeves are gathered into the armholes with piping. The sleeves are also gathered to wristbands that are trimmed with the same narrow white braid as the center front. The wristbands fasten with a worked buttonhole at the wrist closure. The skirt section is narrowly gathered and attached to the waistband with the upper raw edge of the skirt concealed between the waistband and the lining. Two metal hooks-and-eyes form the skirt section closure at the center front waistband. The hem is faced with coarse brown cotton. The waist measures 27 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1862 - 1868
1862-1868
user
Faulkner, Sallie Mason
maker
unknown
ID Number
CS.306799.001
catalog number
306799.001
accession number
306799

1895 - 1905 Chinese American Woman's Skirt

Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr.
Description (Brief)
Ng Shee (1874 - ?) had this two paneled skirt as well as trousers made in Hong Kong at the time of her marriage to Mr. Lee B. Lok in China around 1900. After the marriage Ng Shee lived with her mother in law in China until she joined Mr. Lee in New York City in 1906.
The pleated skirt was often worn with a rectangular apron or wei chu’u over a pair of matching trousers.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0620.20
accession number
1992.0620
catalog number
1992.0620.20

Man’s Waistcoat, 1770–83

This extraordinary waistcoat was found with an assortment of other eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century clothing in a curly maple tall chest of drawers that belonged to the Palmer family of Stonington, Connecticut.
Description
This extraordinary waistcoat was found with an assortment of other eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century clothing in a curly maple tall chest of drawers that belonged to the Palmer family of Stonington, Connecticut. There were several adult men in the family at that time, but detective work suggests that French and Indian War veteran Noyes Palmer (born 1732) may have worn this particular garment as well as eight of the other items that were packed away with it.
Made in the same size and dating from the same period, the assortment of nine coats, breeches, and waistcoats probably comprised his wardrobe when he died in 1783 at the age of 51. Mr. Palmer’s taste indicates that, like many middle-aged men, he was willing to combine a few new fashionable details with the older styles that he preferred. It is possible that he paired this linen waistcoat with a blue silk coat that was by far the grandest item that he owned.
During the last half of the eighteenth century, a quiet but real social war was brewing over the appropriate relationship between appearance and rank. Some people thought that a person’s clothing should reflect his or her status, while others insisted upon wearing the finest clothes that they could afford. It was even becoming technologically possible to flaunt cheaper knock-offs of fashionable goods, which were useful commodities in a world that was starting to define social position in terms of possessions rather than birth. This waistcoat, with its faux embroidery, is a supreme example of sartorial social-climbing.
Mr. Palmer may have bought his waistcoat as a flat length of linen on which the pieces were printed to form. If so, he would have had it tailored to fit him, with the adjustments made at the waist and the side seams in order to maintain the shape of the borders around the neck, front, and skirt edges. This was an established technique for elaborately embroidered or woven waistcoat panels, which were often made of silk and intended for formal wear. However, this waistcoat lacks waistline seams, suggesting that the borders may have been applied onto an existing piece. One way or another, the remarkable thing about this garment is that it mimics an expensive design convention in an extremely humble manner.
The waistcoat is made of natural-colored linen printed in brown, with a tiny repeat pattern of a horizontal line between two dots. A brown floral trail is printed over the ground pattern around the neck, center front, and skirt edges, as well as around the margins of the double-scalloped pocket flaps. An S-shaped vine is stamped horizontally at each button and buttonhole, and three vertical motifs graduated in size embellish each point of the pocket flap. The neck edge is bound with a narrow strip of the ground print, and the twelve flat buttons are covered with it.
The waistcoat is cut with a hem that angles upward from the spread front points toward the side vents. The center front and hem edges are faced with plain off-white linen and the back is made from a single thickness of the same plain linen. The center back seam is vented at the lower edge. This waistcoat is in extremely fragile condition because its fabric was printed with a combination of natural dye and mordant—a substance that reacts chemically with the dye to make it permanent—that has eaten the fabric wherever it was heavily applied. Each forepart is 29 in. (73.66 cm) long and 11 in. (27.94 cm) wide at the waist. The entire back is 27-1/4 in. (69.215 cm) long and 10 in. (25.4 cm) wide across the waist.
This Web entry was made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Association of Men’s Sportswear Buyers, in memory of Joseph S. Klein.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1770-1783
wearer
Palmer, Noyes
purchased from
Ginsburg, Cora
maker
unknown
ID Number
1989.0428.007
accession number
1989.0428

Woman's Dress, 1948–58

There is no information as to who wore this dress designed by Adele Simpson. The Washington Fashion Group, a chapter of the Fashion Group International, donated this dress to the Smithsonian Institution in 1975.
Description
There is no information as to who wore this dress designed by Adele Simpson. The Washington Fashion Group, a chapter of the Fashion Group International, donated this dress to the Smithsonian Institution in 1975. This association of women executives began in 1931 at the insistence of a few prominent women in the fashion industry who wanted to promote more careers for women in the fashion business.
Adele Simpson, who was born in New York in 1905, created ready-made clothes for the sophisticated, yet conservative, American woman. She was one of the founders of the Fashion Group International and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. By 1924, she was one of the highest paid designers in the fashion industry, but her name was not known to the general public. At that time, manufacturers only put their name, not the designer’s, on their labels. When Ms. Simpson purchased Mary Lee, Inc. in 1949, where she had been working as chief designer, she changed the name to her own. She continued to run the business until her retirement in 1980. Her dresses were sold in the country’s leading department and specialty stores. Her customer list included five women who were or would become First Ladies of the United States: Mamie Eisenhower, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Rosalynn Carter, and Barbara Bush.
Adele Simpson loved to travel and was interested in indigenous art from many parts of the world. She incorporated Indian fabrics in many of her collections, as evidenced in this dress, which was made from a sari.
This full length two-piece dress is constructed from a burnt orange and gold silk sari cloth. The dress is cut straight with shoestring straps, and it is semi-fitted with long darts on either side of the center front and the center back. Additional darts on the sides control the fit in place of side seams. There is a heavy gold metallic border at the bust and the hemline. A horizontal band with a curved wedge is inserted under the border at the bust for further shaping. There is a metal zipper at the center back opening. The accompanying shawl has a gold metallic woven border that is more prominent in the front. There is a snap closure covered with a bow that fastens over the shoulder. The center back of the dress measures 45 3/8 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960 - 196900
1946-1956
designer
Simpson, Adele
Simpson, Adele
ID Number
CS.310259.005
catalog number
310259.005
accession number
310259

dress, 1 piece

The donor of this dress designed by Adrian was a fashion model during the 1920s and early 1930s, and she loved clothes. She purchased this dress at Garfinckels, which was a specialty store in Washington, D.C.
Description
The donor of this dress designed by Adrian was a fashion model during the 1920s and early 1930s, and she loved clothes. She purchased this dress at Garfinckels, which was a specialty store in Washington, D.C. When she donated the dress to the museum, she noted that it originally had a narrow belt constructed of the same fabric as the dress. She had used the belt as well as the shoulder pads with another dress at a later time.
Adrian was the best known Hollywood designer of the 1930s. He understood how films were made and designed his clothes accordingly. Knowing that close-ups would highlight the neck or bodice portion of an outfit, he often emphasized the upper portion of a garment. As head designer at MGM, his designs were featured in fashion and fan magazines and were also reinterpreted by many manufacturers. In 1942, Adrian decided to open his own commercial establishment in Beverly Hills, California. Instead of only offering couture clothing for the wealthy, he created a special line called “Adrian Original” to be sold ready-made in selected stores around the United States. To further enhance their cache, only one store was selected in each city to sell his designs.
This long length dress is constructed of black creped-back rayon fabric printed with large birds in yellow, red, and black. The bird at the bodice front is embroidered with red, black, and gold sequins. The short cap sleeves are cut in one with the bodice. There is a horizontal slit neck opening with a short center back opening that fastens with two self-covered buttons and loop closures. The skirt section is cut straight with a slit up the center front originating from the hemline. There is also a left side zipper opening.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1947-1949
used by
Rigsby, Jacqueline C.
maker
Adrian
purchased at
Garfinckel's
designer
Adrian
ID Number
1977.1154.001
accession number
1977.1154
catalog number
1977.1154.001

Woman's Dress, 1911

This dress, designed by Jeanne Lanvin, was worn by Marjorie Wilder, who may have been known as Martha as a child. She was born, we believe, in 1891, in Kentucky to Amanda and Wilson Wilder. Information about her life is sketchy, but around 1910 or 1911 she married Edward A.
Description
This dress, designed by Jeanne Lanvin, was worn by Marjorie Wilder, who may have been known as Martha as a child. She was born, we believe, in 1891, in Kentucky to Amanda and Wilson Wilder. Information about her life is sketchy, but around 1910 or 1911 she married Edward A. English of Atlanta, Georgia. Unfortunately, that marriage lasted only a short time, as Mr. English died within a few years of their marriage. It was, however, around the time of their marriage that this dress was made. According to the donor, who was an old friend, Mrs. English wore the dress to a garden party at the American Embassy in London in 1911. This corresponds with the 1911 date written on the label. We speculate that the trip to Paris and London may have been a wedding trip for the newlyweds, but to date, we have been unable to find any documentation to confirm this speculation. The style of the dress, with its youthful appearance, would have been appropriate for a new, young bride. Later, Marjorie moved to New York City, where she married James Cunningham and became part of the social set. According to articles in the New York Times, she made several trips to Europe during this marriage. After the marriage ended in divorce, she married a third time in 1943 to I. Henry Walker, who died a few months later. According to the donor, Marjorie died in 1953 in a boating accident.
Jeanne Lanvin was born in Paris, France in 1867. She began her fashion career, which lasted over fifty years, as a milliner, opening her own establishment in Paris in 1889. Her daughter inspired her to branch out into making children's clothing, and she began selling matching mother and daughter garments. As those children became adults, her styles evolved to include wedding and evening gowns that would appeal to youthful women as well as more mature women. Before World War I, Lanvin created her famous "robes des style” which was based on eighteenth-century designs. These full skirted dresses with waists remained popular into the early 1920s. By 1925, she was frequently featured in Vogue with both text and illustrations. She preferred clear, subtle and feminine colors, especially a shade of blue that became known as “Lanvin blue.” The use of cummerbunds and net openings with piping, which were both used in this dress, were indicative of her feminine and youthful designs of the early twentieth century.
This one-piece "robes de style" dress is constructed of green silk taffeta. A cape-like collar of net with a pleated taffeta ruffle applied in a swag pattern with loops of bias piping between ruffles is attached to a low, round neckline edged with narrow bias piping. The bodice is gathered to the waist and the yoke at the front and the back with piping at the lower edge. A center back opening has a hook-and-eye closure at the neck. Barrel shaped buttons, covered with bias piping, extend from part way down the back to just above the waist and from below the waist into the skirt section with bias piping loops on the right side of the back for closure. A cummerbund style waistband is quilted and applied to the dress just above the waist fastening at the center back with three barrel shape buttons and loops. Elbow-length sleeves have fullness at the armholes that is controlled with pleats. Shirring at the elbow of the sleeves is covered with cuffs of the same construction as the collar. The skirt section is gathered at the waist. The lower portion of the skirt is also made of the same construction as the collar. An attached petticoat of white chiffon has a band of green taffeta at the lower portion that is visible beneath the net of the skirt. The dress is unlined, with a wide, heavy grosgrain band attached to the waist on the inside extending above and below the waist. All seams are hand finished. The label, which reads "Jeanne Lanvin Paris" and "Ae 1911," is sewn to the inside of the waistband. The waist measures 26 ½ inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1916 - 1918
1911
maker
Lanvin, Jeanne
wearer
Walker, Marjorie Wilder English Cunningham
maker
Lanvin, Jeanne
ID Number
CS.293275.001
catalog number
293275.001
accession number
293275

Woman's Dress, 1893–01

This dress, designed by the House of Worth, was worn by Alice Jane Earl Stuart, who was born in Lafayette, Indiana on October 23, 1850 to Adams Earl and Martha Jane Hawkins.
Description
This dress, designed by the House of Worth, was worn by Alice Jane Earl Stuart, who was born in Lafayette, Indiana on October 23, 1850 to Adams Earl and Martha Jane Hawkins. Her father was a wealthy man and very important in the history and development of Lafayette, becoming president of the Lafayette and Chicago Railroad Company. At age 17, Alice left home to attend the Rockland Female Institute in Nyack, New York. On December 20, 1876, she married Charles Benedict Stuart, who became the founder of the Stuart law firm in Lafayette, Indiana. Their only child died at birth. The Stuarts were very wealthy as well, and Alice was one of the most prominent women of Lafayette and Tippecanoe County, working for many organizations of social welfare and improvement.
From surviving letters Alice wrote to her parents from school, she mentioned how important clothing was to her. As evidenced by this Worth dress, Alice was said to have a preoccupation with stylish apparel. Alice visited a cousin in Washington, DC on several occasions and attended a reception at the White House on one trip. She also traveled abroad many times, and it was probably during one of these trips that she had this dress made to order from the House of Worth, which was famous for creating beautiful gowns such as this one. Charles Frederick Worth was notable for his use of lavish fabrics and trimmings, and his son Jean-Phillippe, who followed the same aesthetics as his father, may have designed this dress. Alice Earl Stuart died on July 27, 1937 at Earlhurst, her family home in Lafayette. Although Earlhurst has not survived, this portrait of a young Alice Jane Earl Stuart is in the hands of a local doctor who owns the land that belonged to the Earls.
The House of Worth, which was the longest running fashion dynasty and the arbiter of women’s fashions for more than a century, was founded by Charles Frederick Worth, who was born in Lincolnshire, England on October 13, 1824. As a young man, Worth worked as an apprentice and clerk for two textile merchants. He relocated to Paris in 1845, and in 1858 he co-established his own dressmaking salon, Maison Worth at 7 rue de la Paix, Paris. Although his sons, Gaston-Lucien and Jean-Philippe, took over their father’s business after his death on March 10, 1895, they had been an indispensable part of the House of Worth long before he died. In 1954, the couture house was sold to Pacquin, and the name continued until the 1970s. Parfums Worth, which was created in the early twentieth century, is still in business. Besides dressing royalty and famous actresses, Worth was immensely popular among wealthy American patrons.
This elegant two-piece dress is constructed of pink satin and brocaded silk. The bodice of pink silk satin has a square neckline in front that is rounded at the back. The center front portion of the bodice is covered with pink chiffon, and four pleated chiffon ruffles with a lace ruffle inserted between two of them frame the neckline in front and extend down to the center front of the bodice. Additional ruffles are inserted at the back neckline to form a multi-layered ruffled collar effect. Reveres are cut in one piece with the bodice fronts using the fabric selvedge as the reveres edge. The reveres, similar to lapels, are covered with net and lace appliqué with decorative rhinestones. The bodice has side seams and is cut in three parts at the back. The back is covered with the same lace as the reveres. The short satin sleeves that are lined with pink satin are extremely full and pleated into the armholes with fullness at the top of the sleeve created by elaborate folding of the fabric. The sleeve openings are trimmed with three pleated chiffon ruffles tacked to the sleeves at intervals to form a decorative trim. A wide ruche of pink velvet lined with pink taffeta forms a cummerbund effect at the lower edge of the bodice closing at the left front. Two decorative velvet bows trim the closure. All inside bodice seams are finished and boned, with additional boning at the center front and either side of the center front. The center front of the bodice closes with metal hooks and eyes. This pictured label with the words “PARIS C Worth PARIS” is woven into an inner waistband tacked to the inside boning at the back waistline. The gored skirt of brocaded silk satin is slightly trained at the back, with box pleats creating fullness at the center back. A back opening closes with a large hook-and-eye. The skirt is completely lined with pink taffeta with a stiff interlining and an additional partial pink taffeta lining that is narrower than the skirt and tacked to the seams. A pink dust ruffle finishes the hemline.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1893 - 1901
1893-1901
maker
Worth
used by
Stuart, Alice Jane Earl
maker
Worth
ID Number
CS.264090.001
catalog number
264090.001

dress, 1-piece

According to the donor, we believe that this dress was worn by Electra Wade of Northfield, New Jersey. She was married to Henry Beach.Although the dress is fashionable in its cut, it was most likely a work or everyday dress.
Description
According to the donor, we believe that this dress was worn by Electra Wade of Northfield, New Jersey. She was married to Henry Beach.
Although the dress is fashionable in its cut, it was most likely a work or everyday dress. The heavyweight linen from which it is made dictated that pleats rather than gathers be used to control the fullness at the center back of the upper skirt section. The donor claimed that the fabric had been woven by the wearer Electra Wade. Although we know that less expensive fabrics of this type were available from merchants, the construction of this particular fabric does appear to confirm the donor’s claim. If one looks closely at the fabric, it is evident that it was woven by a less skilled weaver, who periodically lost the pattern by leaving out a row of one of the colors. These mistakes are most noticeable part way down the center front of the skirt section and near the sleeve area on the front.
The dress is constructed of a two-tone blue and brown woven linen plaid. It is an empire style with a center front bodice opening that extends four inches into skirt section. The front bodice extends into the back at the sides and is applied over the back at the seams where it topstitched. There is deep U-shape at front neckline. A drawstring is attached to the dress at the back shoulder on either side and is inserted into a casing at the front neckline for tying at center front. There is a rectangular piece over each shoulder. A drawstring at the waist seam is attached the dress at the sides for an additional front closure. Blue and white striped linen lines the bodice. The lining is attached at the back and sides, but extends below the waist seam and hangs free. At the front the lining hangs free and is meant to lap over at center front, but with no visible means of closure. The long straight sleeves are set in far to the back. The skirt section consists of four pieces to include a straight piece at front, a triangular gusset at either side, and a rectangular piece for the back. The skirt back is pleated into the waist seam with box pleats. There is a fold over hem in skirt section.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1795 - 1825
1795-1825
worn by
Beach, Electa Wade
ID Number
CS.255655.001
catalog number
255655.001
accession number
255655

jacket

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2000
ID Number
2009.0176.001
accession number
2009.0176
catalog number
2009.0176.001

Cocktail dress

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1990-1995
ca 1990-1995
ID Number
2009.0177.01
accession number
2009.0177
catalog number
2009.0177.01

bomba skirt

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2008
ID Number
2009.0176.003
accession number
2009.0176
catalog number
2009.0176.003

Levi's Brown Duck Trousers

Levi's Brown Duck Trousers1873-1896The brown cotton trousers shown here were made by Levi Strauss & Co. of San Francisco, California sometime during the two decades after the company's founding in 1873.
Description
Levi's Brown Duck Trousers
1873-1896
The brown cotton trousers shown here were made by Levi Strauss & Co. of San Francisco, California sometime during the two decades after the company's founding in 1873. Levi Strauss was a 24-year old, newly minted American citizen from Bavaria when he set sail for San Francisco in 1853 to open a branch of his brother's New York City dry-goods business. He prospered by supplying blankets, handkerchiefs, and clothing to merchants in the West for the next two decades. In 1872, he received a business proposition from Jacob Davis, a Latvian-born tailor in Reno, Nevada. Davis had invented a way to strengthen trousers by reinforcing their pocket openings with copper rivets in order to help a customer who complained about his constantly torn pockets. He asked Levi Strauss to join him in patenting the process; then they would go into business together to sell their patented riveted pants.
Patent number 139,121 was granted on 20 May 1873, and production began immediately. The printed leather label at the center back waistband of these "waist overalls," as they were known in the late nineteenth century, suggests that the product was instantly popular with hard-working men who needed indestructible trousers. The label proclaims "Levi Strauss & Co." of "14 & 16 Battery Street SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. " to be the "Sole Proprietors and Manufacturers" of "PATENT RIVETED DUCK & DENIM CLOTHING. . . EVERY PAIR GUARANTEED. None Genuine Unless Bearing This Label. Any infringement on this Patent will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. LABEL COPYRIGHTED."
The company's patent expired in 1890, but the popularity of their riveted trousers became an American legend. Iron-clad cotton "duck" canvas (mentioned on the label, and seen in this pair of pants) was gradually phased out in favor of flexible cotton denim, a fabric that was much like the twilled cotton "jean" that had long been used for men's work clothes. By 1960, Levi's had come to be called "jeans" in both corporate advertising and the public's imagination.
Made of a heavy cotton canvas known as "duck," the pants feature a pair of short tapered belts with a buckle to cinch the back waist yoke, and white top-stitching everywhere except along the outside leg seams below the two front pockets. A small watch pocket is set inside the right front pocket, and a single back patch pocket with Levi's now-famous double arcuate stitching is placed on the right hip. A printed leather label is centered on the back waistband.
The patented copper rivets that reinforced the upper corners of each pocket and the base of the fly set these trousers apart from all other work clothing of their day. Each rivet is inscribed "L. S. & CO. S. F. PAT. MAY 1873." The pants were fastened and supported by four-hole metal buttons; the two buttons hidden in the concealed fly are unmarked, but the rims of the one at the front waist, and the six suspender buttons around the waistband, are marked "LEVI STRAUSS & CO. S. F. CAL."
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1873 - 1896
maker
Levi Strauss and Company
ID Number
CS.256979.002
catalog number
256979.002
accession number
256979

Woman's Dress, 1945

Jeanne LaSalle wore this dress designed by Adrian when she married Robert L. Rigley in July 1945. She had purchased it at Marshall Field and Company in Chicago.
Description
Jeanne LaSalle wore this dress designed by Adrian when she married Robert L. Rigley in July 1945. She had purchased it at Marshall Field and Company in Chicago. The wedding and reception were held at The Drake, a fashionable hotel near Lake Michigan.
The donor called this "an afternoon" dress. It was typical of wartime wedding attire. Although wedding dresses had been declared exempt from government law L-85 (the purpose of which was to conserve materials used in the manufacturing of clothing), many women did not have the time to prepare for a formal wedding and thought it was frivolous to spend money on a wedding dress during the war. Instead, many purchased a "good" dress or suit that they could wear later for other events. In fact, many surviving wedding outfits from the war were made and designed by Adrian, the Hollywood designer who opened his own salon and ready-to-wear company in 1942. Adrian’s garments were more expensive than regular dresses and suits, but they carried a certain cache. The donor remembered paying $125 for this dress at the time, which was a significant investment.
This street-length, one-piece dress is constructed from a gray rayon fabric. The V-shape opening at the front neckline fastens at the center with a hook-and-eye. A curving band is set in at the waistline, with two pleats on either side of the center front radiating diagonally from the waistband into the bodice section. The long, tapering set-in sleeves have a zipper closure at the sleeve ends. Two strips of fabric are attached to the right shoulder and the right upper sleeve and drape loosely in front of the bodice, where they are sewn into the right front waistband. The skirt section is cut fairly straight. A right front skirt panel extends to left of the center front, with a section of the skirt pleated on a diagonal to the panel.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1945
used by
Rigley, Jeanne LaSalle
maker
Adrian
purchased at
Marshall Field and Company
designer
Adrian
ID Number
1977.1151.001
accession number
1977.1151
catalog number
1977.1151.001

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