Not currently on display at the V&A

Dress

1965 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This garment is part of a larger gift of childrens clothes worn by a girl called Caroline (and some by her brother) spanning the mid 1950s-1960s. The range of clothing shows both the developments in fine quality brands, designs and fashions bought for her and available to many girls in the post war period and, through the increasing size and sophistication of the garments, charts Caroline's own developments from a toddler through towards her teenage years.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
machine and hand stitching; rayon
Brief description
Homemade child's dress, made by donor's mother, Scotland, ca.1965
Physical description
Dress of a geometric printed rayon material. The print uses different shapes and dimensions of block colours in lime, cornflower blue, Fuchsia pink and turquoise. The dress has a turtle neck at the front, which opens to a pointed collar at the back of the neck. The dress has darts at the front, flared long bell sleeves and is fully lined in a matching turquoise nylon. There is a zip opening on the back central seam of the dress and a matching turquoise metal zip. The dress falls to around knee level and is for a girl of about 12 years old.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder hem to bottom hem of dress height: 86cm
  • Arm pit to armpit, flat width: 47cm
  • Flat across hips width: 47cm
Credit line
Gift of Caroline McIntyre
Object history
Made for the donor by her mother. Material selected from Barnsley Market. This dress is a part of a large gift from Caroline McIntyre, who has donated a range of her childhood clothing.
The gift ranges in size and age group from the donor's and her brother's baby clothes throughout her childhood up to the age of about 14. This is a rare opportunity to follow the changing size, fashions and clothing choices (either her own or those chosen for her) of one individual throughout their childhood of the mid 1950s-1960s including those clothes worn for every day as well as those saved for best.
Production
hand made from a dress pattern (unknown brand and model) using material sourced from Barnsley market.
Summary
This garment is part of a larger gift of childrens clothes worn by a girl called Caroline (and some by her brother) spanning the mid 1950s-1960s. The range of clothing shows both the developments in fine quality brands, designs and fashions bought for her and available to many girls in the post war period and, through the increasing size and sophistication of the garments, charts Caroline's own developments from a toddler through towards her teenage years.
Collection
Accession number
B.294-2011

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Record createdJune 1, 2012
Record URL
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