Dance costume
Theatre Costume
1930s-1940s (made)
1930s-1940s (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This costume was worn in shows at the Theatre Royal, Leeds, in the 1930s and 1940s, maybe in the flying ballets, which were a feature of several productions. The 'fliers' were attached to wires and swung out over the auditorium, where they dropped flowers onto the audience.
Even so simple a costume carries clues as to the time in which it was made; the body shape, which is less streamlined than today, colour, fabric and lozenge pattern are all typical of the period and the leg openings are cut straight across, whereas today they would be cut upwards, into the hip, to make the legs look longer.
Whereas a costume worn by a star performer or a particularly stunning design might be preserved, theatre costumes of this style and period, worn by a succession of unknown performers, are comparatively rare. They might go into the theatre stock wardrobe and worn until they fell to pieces, or just thrown out to make room because noone thought they were of any interest. A few, like this costume, were saved by people who worked in the theatre or their friends.
Even so simple a costume carries clues as to the time in which it was made; the body shape, which is less streamlined than today, colour, fabric and lozenge pattern are all typical of the period and the leg openings are cut straight across, whereas today they would be cut upwards, into the hip, to make the legs look longer.
Whereas a costume worn by a star performer or a particularly stunning design might be preserved, theatre costumes of this style and period, worn by a succession of unknown performers, are comparatively rare. They might go into the theatre stock wardrobe and worn until they fell to pieces, or just thrown out to make room because noone thought they were of any interest. A few, like this costume, were saved by people who worked in the theatre or their friends.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Dance costume (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Silk, sequins, hooks and eyes |
| Brief description | Costume for a dancer, ca. 1920s-1930s. |
| Physical description | Fitted, sleeveless dance dress, cut straight across top thigh, with shallow V neck back and front and serrated lower edge with gusset. The basic fabric is pale pink silk, printed with light green lozenges, outlined with silver sequins. The costume is lined with Jap silk and an extension of pink lozenges at lower edge with artificial silk. The costume fastens down the back with hooks and eyes, the right side covered with a narrow mauve and ivory ruched ribbon. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs M E Craggs |
| Object history | The costume was worn in shows at the Theatre Royal, Leeds, in the 1930s and 1940s. It may have been worn in the flying ballets which featured in various productions; girls would bring violet posies onto the stage and the 'flyers' would be flown out from the stage round over the auditorium, drop the posies to the audience, and back to the stage. In style, with the straight cut legs, and decoration, this costume is a typical dance dress of its period. |
| Summary | This costume was worn in shows at the Theatre Royal, Leeds, in the 1930s and 1940s, maybe in the flying ballets, which were a feature of several productions. The 'fliers' were attached to wires and swung out over the auditorium, where they dropped flowers onto the audience. Even so simple a costume carries clues as to the time in which it was made; the body shape, which is less streamlined than today, colour, fabric and lozenge pattern are all typical of the period and the leg openings are cut straight across, whereas today they would be cut upwards, into the hip, to make the legs look longer. Whereas a costume worn by a star performer or a particularly stunning design might be preserved, theatre costumes of this style and period, worn by a succession of unknown performers, are comparatively rare. They might go into the theatre stock wardrobe and worn until they fell to pieces, or just thrown out to make room because noone thought they were of any interest. A few, like this costume, were saved by people who worked in the theatre or their friends. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.6-2004 |
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| Record created | March 22, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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