Girl's Embroidered Cotton Dress, 1840-1850

White cotton dress with wide, collar-less neck and slightly belled sleeves. Bodice and skirt gathered; tight gauging along center-front and center-back waist. Empty whalebone casing at center-front. Self-fabric piping at neck, waist and sleeves. White embroidery at hem; hem and cuffs finished with irregular scalloping and crochet trim. Two tucks on skirt. Bodice lined with plain-weave cotton; sleeves and skirt unlined. Bodice open at center-back; hammered-wire hook and eye closures. Hand-sewn. T…

Embroidered Pink Silk Taffeta Girl's Dress, about 1905

Pink silk taffeta dress with flowers embroidered in silk on yoke, sleeve cuffs and skirt. High neck, with ruffled lace forming stand collar. Long set-in sleeves with turnover cuffs. Yoke and drop waist with rather crude hand smocking. Short pleated skirt. Center-back opening with four mother-of-pearl buttons. Machine-sewn, but gathering on bodice is done by large hand-stitching. Some top-stitching executed in machine stitches of chain-stitch with silk thread; interior seams of cotton thread in l…

Girl's Dress, 1915-1920

This lovely, loose-flowing Arts and Crafts-inspired dress belonged to Alleen Kelly Feiss and is the only truly higher-style Arts and Crafts girl's dress in The Henry Ford's collection.The Arts and Crafts-style decorative embroidery is quite distinctive.

Short Sleeve Wool Child's Embroidered Dress, 1840-1850

Blue dress of fine wool twill. Square, gathered neckline. Gathered cap sleeves. Gathered and pleated bodice lined with cotton. Applied waistband. Box-pleated skirt. Hand-embroidered flowered vine motif around sleeves, waist, hem. Sleeve edging embroidered in the pieceand cut from cloth. Center-back closures of hammered wire hooks and threaded eyes. Hand-sewn. Appears to have been altered to fit fuller torso: bodice lining shows stitching removed to let out pleats, skirt changed from gathering to…

Dress, 1825-1829

According to the source, the dress fabric was originally made and embroidered around 1785, and made over in the early 19th century.

Dress, 1840-1849

A beautifully constructed, sewn, and finished dress, representing a homemade version of high style. The en tablier trim on the skirt is typical of 1850-55. The bodice and narrow sleeve are 1840s, the collar reminiscent of the 1830's, the skirt trim, ruffles and embroideryof the 1840's.

Dress, 1880-1882

This dress reflects the eighteenth century revival look of a pastoral shepherdess. Chambray was not unusual but the seersucker trim was unusual as a trim detail.

Evening Dress , 1961

The embroidery on this dress is inspired by the French Empire period.Please note that there are matching shoes for this dress in our collection: object number 89.492.352.3.Born in Decatur, Illinois in 1897 Elizabeth Parke married Harvey S. Firestone Jr., son of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey S. Firestone, in 1921.Once described by a friend as, "the most luxurious woman in the history of luxury," Elizabeth Parke Firestone's clothing collection illustrates her impeccable taste in…

Crepe Dress with Embroidered, Fur Lined Jacket, 1921-1922

Two-piece dress and jacket ensemble. Pale gold crepe dress with shallow scooped neckline and short sleeves edged in grosgrain. Dropped waist with pleated side panels edged with dark gold grosgrain ribbons. Pale gold crepe jacket, hip length, embroidered with very narrow (1/8) gold braid in stylized floral pattern. Collar and cuffs trimmed in light brown fur; pale gold silk lining.

Dress with Stole, 1954

Born in Decatur, Illinois in 1897 Elizabeth Parke married Harvey S. Firestone Jr., son of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey S. Firestone, in 1921.Once described by a friend as, "the most luxurious woman in the history of luxury," Elizabeth Parke Firestone's clothing collection illustrates her impeccable taste in fashion.

Cotton Gauze Dress with Peasant-Style Embroidery, 1926

Light beige cotton gauze dress with polychromatic, peasant-style, machine-embroidered designs in shades of red, turquoise, purple, green, yellow and pink. Bodice and sleeves have floral and leaf pattern. Smocking at hip line, back of neckline, and cuffs. Collar has turquoise cotton cord ties with tassels. Probably ready-to-wear. This garment was owned by Elizabeth Parke Firestone, daughter of Mr. Harvey Firestone of Detroit, Michigan. An important part of the collection, this dress was purchased…

Dress, 1952

Born in Decatur, Illinois in 1897 Elizabeth Parke married Harvey S. Firestone Jr., son of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey S. Firestone, in 1921.Once described by a friend as, "the most luxurious woman in the history of luxury," Elizabeth Parke Firestone's clothing collection illustrates her impeccable taste in fashion.

Dress, 1905-1910

Evening Dress and Coat, about 1961

Born in Decatur, Illinois in 1897 Elizabeth Parke married Harvey S. Firestone Jr., son of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey S. Firestone, in 1921.Once described by a friend as, "the most luxurious woman in the history of luxury," Elizabeth Parke Firestone's clothing collection illustrates her impeccable taste in fashion.