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Clothing and Accessories
Women's Clothing ➔ Dress
Identifier:
132126Description:
This brown dress is made of taffeta and has a V-neckline. The sleeves are three-quarter and the waist is fitted with gathers on the sides. This dress has a full skirt that is gathered at the waist as well as a Crown zipper down the center back. There is also an interior label that reads "R & K Original, personally yours". Features that are indicative of the 1950s are the New Look silhouette, the narrow waist, and the three-quarter sleeves.This style of dress was known as the New Look which was created by Christian Dior in 1947. The New Look featured cinched waists, full skirts, and emphasized the bust and hips. Dior often lined his skirts with taffeta or percale to help it retain its full shape. This style of dress remained popular throughout the 1950’s and was a turning point in women’s fashion. During World War II fabrics were rationed and women’s style allowed for very few embellishments. Restrictions were put on the number of seams allowed in a garment, the number of buttons that could be used, and how many pleats were allowed. Women had to provide coupons when buying fabric and ready-to-wear clothing had to meet government standards. When the New Look was introduced after the war, women were lining up to purchase the style which promoted femininity and curves.
Date:
circa 1957 – 1958Materials:
TaffetaCurrent Location Status:
In StorageCollection Tier:
Tier 2Source:
Gift Of Mrs. Frederick L. KeelerRelated Entities:
Mrs. Frederick L. Keeler (donor) R & K Original (creator)R & K Original was a clothing company located in New York that was established in 1932. It is still active as of 2018.
