Pink and white party dress, by Jenny Hockley, c1959

Pink and white synthetic seersucker material in horizontal striped design combined with a sheer white material. The dress has small puffed sleeves and a high, round neck, fitted waist and flared skirt, ending at around knee height. The dress has a false buttoned section down the front of 6 clear, shiny plastic buttons mounted on a pink tape with a net frill surround. The frill continues around the neck. The back fastens with 6 clear plastic buttons and a sash ties around the back. The dress is fully lines with a pink synthetic fabric.

Gift of Caroline McIntyre

This party dress was worn by the donor, Caroline McIntyre (b.20/02/1954) around 1960-61 when she was 6-7 years old.
The dress is a part of a larger 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.

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 own developments from a toddler through towards her teenage years.

B.299-2011