Sleeveless evening dress made of satin, United States, 1920-1922

Sleeveless evening dress made of white satin. The bodice is straight cut and fastens on the left side and back with hooks and eyes and snap fasteners. The waist is at the natural place. The neckline is round, dipping to a 'V' at the back. The skirt is ankle length, straight in the front, and wrapping round to the centre back where it is cut into two hanging panels and is draped up under a bow at the waist. The bodice is lined with matching silk. Hand-sewn.

This dress was worn by Miss Emilie Grigsby (1876-1964) who was a wealthy independent American who came to England from New York. She established a salon which was frequented by writers and the military. She was considered to be one of the great international beauties, with extremely pale, almost transparent skin and golden hair. She was frequently the subject of articles in the New York Times during the early 20th century. Her clothes were purchased from couturiers in London, Paris, and New York, and demonstrated an elegantly avant-garde approach to style.

Historical significance: Night life became the focus for post-war exuberance and gave birth to the most glamorous evening fashion of the new century. Early 1920s evening dresses were sleeveless, long and feminine, gathered on the hip or the back.

This sleeveless evening dress is made of white satin. The bodice is straight cut and fastens on the left side and back with hooks and eyes and snap fasteners. The waistline is in the natural place. The neckline is round, dipping to a 'V' at the back. The skirt is ankle length, straight at the front and wrapping round to the centre back, where it is cut into two hanging panels and draped up under a bow at the waist. The bodice is lined with matching silk.

Night life became the focus for the exuberance of the years after the First World War. It gave birth to the most glamorous evening fashions of the 20th century. Evening dresses of the early 1920s were sleeveless, long and feminine. They were gathered on the hip or the back.

T.172-1967