Beaded Bow Dress

VC1992015

Beaded Bow Dress

Black chiffon dress with beaded bow at dropped waist. Sheer black silk crepe chiffon, round white glass beads, mother of pearl, silver bugle beads, metal snaps, black grosgrain ribbon inner waistband with metal hooks and eyes.

1920-1929

Clothing and dress

32 inches (chest), 38 inches (waist), 48.5 inches (center front length), 50 inches (center back length), 98 inches (hem circumference), 10.5 inches (underarm to waist).

beads

chiffon

crepe

cotton

glass

lace

metal

ribbon

silk

Physical Object

1920s

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VC1992015

black

white

gray

hand sewing

beading

32

38

48.5

50

98

10.5

32 inches (chest), 38 inches (waist), 48.5 inches (center front length), 50 inches (center back length), 98 inches (hem circumference), 10.5 inches (underarm to waist).

malonoff, p. 79-80moore, p. 175

1920

1929

womenswear

costume

clothing

20s Evening Dresses

evening dress

Vassar Girls and Other Women

By the time we arrive at this black silk crepe chiffon dress with a trompe 1'oeil beaded bow along the dropped waist, straight lines have almost completely replaced the curves of the nineteenth century. With the drama of the strengthening of line comes a certain drama of color:'Art Nouveau and abstract art, aided by photography, were able to create a new set of visual possibilities for black clothing in the twentieth century that could take new account of its purely visual appeal. At that time, about the end of the First World War, conventional sober black for feminine costume [popularized by the wearing of mourning by Queen Victoria for at least twenty years after the death of Prince Albert] had largely given way to pale colors, as feminine freedom of self expression advanced and became a commonplace, along with feminine employment. Black could again rely more on its visual impact than on its symbolic social impact, (Anne Hollander, Seeing Through Clothes New York: Penguin Books, 1975. p. 381-2).Here we find a dress whose focus on the design elements of line and color powerfully emphasizes the motion of the body wearing it.

very good

Beading missing on right shoulder strap; some beading missing on trim of left should strap.

size 10 1972

C4

Vassar College Costume Collection, Drama Department, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604

19black crepe chiffon evening dress with beaded bow, 1920's1992.15By the time we arrive at this black silk crepe chiffon dress with a trompe 1'oeil beaded bow along the dropped waist, straight lines have almost completely replaced the curves of the nineteenth century. With the drama of the strengthening of line comes a certain drama of color:'Art Nouveau and abstract art, aided by photography, were able to create a new set of visual possibilities for black clothing in the twentieth century that could take new account of its purely visual appeal. At that time, about the end of the First World War, conventional sober black for feminine costume [popularized by the wearing of mourning by Queen Victoria for at least twenty years after the death of Prince Albert] had largely given way to pale colors, as feminine freedom of self expression advanced and became a commonplace, along with feminine employment. Black could again rely more on its visual impact than on its symbolic social impact, (Anne Hollander, Seeing Through Clothes New York: Penguin Books, 1975. p. 381-2).Here we find a dress whose focus on the design elements of line and color powerfully emphasizes the motion of the body wearing it.

dress