Collections

Afternoon or Evening Dress

Afternoon or Evening Dress - Dress
Accession #: 1921.9
Title: Afternoon or Evening Dress
Object Type: Dress
Participants:
Physical Description: Amethyst-grey blue velvet skirt with amethyst-grey blue chiffon bodice and sleeves elaborately trimmed with gold and silver threads, sequins and very small black beads. Dropped waist with grey silk-chiffon bodice and under slip attached. Bouson-style chiffon bodice with elaborate design of gold thread with silver/gold sequins and tiny black beads and one-inch smocked velvet strip from the center left front at the dropped waistline up around the neckline and down to center right front dropped waistline. Attached smocked grey velvet bow at center front waistline. 2 3/4" velvet strip circles the bodice below the bust line. 3" velvet strip also circles sleeve below elbow. Bishop style sleeve with 4 1/2" openings with four 3/8" round velvet covered buttons. Skirt is over-draped in front. Dress is slip-on.
Description: The end of World War I signaled the beginning of a modern technological and social era. Almost overnight, busts, waists and hips vanished from women's fashion. Spokane's Margaret Cowles wore this afternoon or evening dress that foreshadows 1920s fashion with its straight shape. Its rich fabrics reflect post-war prosperity, and its sinuous Art Nouveau-style embroidery is drawn from earlier 20th century influences.
Category: Textiles
Subjects/Topics/Concepts:
Women (Women), Clothing (Personal Artifact)
Dimensions:
skirt length front 23"
waist 36"
bust 36"
sleeve length 34"
length, center back 49"
Materials/Techniques:
bead (Material)
chiffon (Material)
sequin (Material)
velvet (Material)
gold (Material)
amethyst (Material)
silver (Material)
Related Exhibits:
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. W.H. Cowles II, 1965.

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