Day Dress
1904-1908 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This style of delicate pale dress was very popular for wear at summer garden parties and fêtes. The Lady's Realm (1907) remarked: 'July is the ideal month in England where dress is concerned, and our thoughts turn to transparent lawns, ethereal muslins and dainty laces which are all associated with summer confections of London and Paris'.
The skirt appears seamless but is made up of many almost invisible hand-stitched joins linking the bands of hand-made lace and lawn. The hand-crocheted flowers add depth and texture. This labour-intensive decoration within an all-white colour scheme satisfied the fashion for costly detail. Although this dress looks soft and pliable, the wearer would have worn rigid corseting underneath.
The skirt appears seamless but is made up of many almost invisible hand-stitched joins linking the bands of hand-made lace and lawn. The hand-crocheted flowers add depth and texture. This labour-intensive decoration within an all-white colour scheme satisfied the fashion for costly detail. Although this dress looks soft and pliable, the wearer would have worn rigid corseting underneath.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Cotton lawn, with handmade lace insertions and cotton crocheted flowers |
Brief description | Day dress, 1904-1908, French?; Cotton and lace |
Physical description | White cotton lawn day dress with 'V'-shaped neckline, elbow-length sleeves, hook and eye fastening at the back, and a full skirt with a small train. The whole dress is ornamented with floral lace and crochet insertions and lace trimmings. The skirt appears seamless but is made up of many hand-stitched joins linking bands of hand-made lace and lawn, decorated with crocheted flowers. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Given by the Baron Charles de Menasce |
Summary | This style of delicate pale dress was very popular for wear at summer garden parties and fêtes. The Lady's Realm (1907) remarked: 'July is the ideal month in England where dress is concerned, and our thoughts turn to transparent lawns, ethereal muslins and dainty laces which are all associated with summer confections of London and Paris'. The skirt appears seamless but is made up of many almost invisible hand-stitched joins linking the bands of hand-made lace and lawn. The hand-crocheted flowers add depth and texture. This labour-intensive decoration within an all-white colour scheme satisfied the fashion for costly detail. Although this dress looks soft and pliable, the wearer would have worn rigid corseting underneath. |
Collection | |
Accession number | T.107-1939 |
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Record created | January 5, 2004 |
Record URL |
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