Object Details
- Description
- A cream silk dress with bronze metallic embroidery and a front overskirt. The front bust is made from one panel of fabric and features a standing band collar. A pleated panel of fabric covers the bust; it starts in the proper left shoulder and is set into the proper right-side seam. There are two bust darts and two waist darts in the front of the dress. A second pleated side panel starts at the proper left underarm, goes to the proper right waist, and curves downward asymmetrically into a voluminous faux front skirt. The faux front skirt is one panel that is folded under and is gathered at the underside to a champagne-colored synthetic silk waistband. There is an A-line skirt under the faux skirt, which consists of three panels. The upper part of the A-line skirt is a part of the bodice. There are two bottom panels that are filled with densely packed paisley bronze metallic embroidery. They are machine stitched together at the center front. The dress features long sleeves, that are seamed at the inner arm. The sleeves have a gusset at the inner arm and each cuff contains a metal 3.5” zipper with metal teeth. The proper left sleeve has a continuous panel of metallic trim which runs across the proper left shoulder of the bodice and ends at the proper left wrist. All dress seams are machine stitched together.
- The standing band collar closes in the center back with a metal hook and thread eye. The back of the dress features two panels that are bisected in the center back with a metal Talon zipper measuring 27.25". The zipper goes from the bottom of the band collar and ends below the back of the waist, in the skirt and is handstitched into place. There are two vertical darts in the waist that match the front construction of the bust. The embroidered panel with metallic thread at the bottom of the A-line skirt is not sewn on as a separate panel, rather it is one continuous part of the back panel of the dress. The interior of the dress is lined with champagne colored synthetic silk. The interior bust front is one panel with two vertical bust darts and two waist darts. The back interior bust lining is two panel pieces. A tan rayon Petersham ribbon lines the interior waist and has two metal hook and eye closures. The skirt lining is composed of three panels - one lining panel with the front and two panels for the back. There are two circular weights attached to a tan Petersham ribbon that hangs down vertically from the interior back zipper area. All the raw edges are finished with pinking and hand stitching.
- Data Source
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Subject of
- Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
- Date
- 1980s
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
- Medium
- silk, synthetic lining, metallic thread, and metal
- Dimensions
- Length (Shoulder to hem): 40 1/4 (102.2)
- Width (Shoulder to shoulder): 14 in (35.6 cm)
- Waist: 12 in. (30.5 cm)
- Type
- dresses
