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  • Two Piece Silk Taffeta Girl's Outfit, about 1892

    Two Piece Silk Taffeta Girl's Outfit, about 1892

    Two-piece outfit consisting of pleated skirt and jumper-style bodice with long-sleeved, tucked white cambric chemisette. Skirt and bodice of silk taffeta, printed blue with brown spots. Bodice stand collar, fall collar, cuffs and hem trimmed with machine lace. Opens center-back with 22 mother-of-pearl buttons. Skirt stiffened with buckram lining. Machine-sewn except for hand-stitched hem. Dressmaker made. This fashionable young lady's bodice and skirt is notable for its exquisite construction an…

  • Boy's Velveteen Norfolk Knicker Suit, 1890-1910

    Boy's Velveteen Norfolk Knicker Suit, 1890-1910

    Brown velveteen Norfolk knicker suit. Collar-less, round-necked, double-breasted jacket faced with cotton and silk satin. Opens on right side; two rows of mother-of-pearl buttons, one functional. Two pleats on front, one pleat on back, with self-fabric belt passing through openings in pleats. Two patch pockets. Set-in sleeves, no cuffs. Straight-legged knickers with one snap at each hip. Inner waist band of white muslin with buttonholes. Two darts in back. Small open fly at inseam has been hand-…

  • Child's Jester Costume, 1880-1910

    Child's Jester Costume, 1880-1910

    Multi-piece jester costume of pink and light blue satin, trimmed with lace, bells, sequin, metallic beads. Includes jacket, knickers, cap, sash, and playing card plaques with spade and diamond appliques. Cap secures to head with elastic. Collar, sleeves, waist and jacket and knicker hems finished in triangular points with bell hanging from each point. Lace trim at neck, shoulders, sleeve ends, and knicker hems. Jacket has two patch pockets, hammered wire hook-and-eye closures, white glazed cotto…

  • Dress with Jacket, 1959

    Dress with Jacket, 1959

    Dark raspberry-pink linen dress and jacket with cut-out stylized leaf design backed with matching pink silk organza. Pink cotton lining. Strapless bodice; 3/4 inch linen belt ties in front. Bolero-style jacket with raglan sleeves, two self-fabric button closures; lapels fold back on either side of square neckline.

  • Wool Flannel Suit with Raglan Sleeves, 1950

    Wool Flannel Suit with Raglan Sleeves, 1950

    Dark-gray wool flannel suit. Raglan sleeves with turn-back cuff. Three-button diagonal trim at front of each shoulder. Seam at jacket waistline. Padded peplum with flap pockets. Hook and eye closures. Narrow skirt has pleat in front and back. Dark gray silk faille lining. Clothing label: Christian Dior/PARIS/MADE IN FRANCE. Stamped on label: 15393. Handwritten on tag sewn on back of label: 21721. This may be one of the most stunning suits in any collection: it is understated and perfectly tailor…

  • Grey and White Houndstooth Wool Suit, 1955

    Grey and White Houndstooth Wool Suit, 1955

    Medium gray and white houndstooth check wool suit. Straight narrow skirt with kick pleat in back. Jacket has four gray buttons, tie front, bracelet length sleeves. Gray silk taffeta lining Clothing Label:JACQUES FATH/PARIS.

  • Silk Organza Sleeveless Evening Dress and Jacket, 1937

    Silk Organza Sleeveless Evening Dress and Jacket, 1937

    Dress and jacket of thin, peach-colored silk organza. Bodice goes over the head and wrap-ties in front. Bodice is sleeveless with V-neckline. Center, front, and waistline piping accents. Peplum below waistline. Three coiled-cord buttons. Very full bias-cut skirt over beige silk chemise. Separate matching jacket with tucked yoke and short sleeves. Clothing label: ALIX/PARIS. Number inscribed on label: 7027. ALIX was the label of Alix Gres, also known as Madame Gres. Born as either Germaine Krebs …

  • Two Piece Blue Linen Suit, 1953-1954

    Two Piece Blue Linen Suit, 1953-1954

    Medium-blue linen suit. Very little shaping to jacket; curved seams in front and back. Six-button front closure with 3/4-length sleeves, small cuffs and collar. Jacket is weighted. Sheath skirt has separate blue China silk petticoat. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwritten on tag sewn on back of label: 45 121. A designer sample of this suit is worn by a Balenciaga mannequin in a 1956 photo. The Henry Ford also owns a design drawing of this suit.

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

    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.

  • Coral Silk Evening Dress, about 1935

    Coral Silk Evening Dress, about 1935

    Sleeveless floor-length dress with matching long-sleeve jacket in coral silk crepe. V-shaped neckline in front and back; floating curved panels over bust; sewn tucks over midriff. Self-fabric button closure in back leaves small, diamond-shaped opening in middle of back. Short half-belt in back. Seams curved over hips with slight fullness below knees. Weighted bottom. China silk half-slip in matching color. Waist-length, double-breasted jacket with suplice closure and 2 self-fabric buttons. No co…

  • Deep Navy Blue Linen Day Suit, 1951

    Deep Navy Blue Linen Day Suit, 1951

    Deep navy-blue linen day suit. Slight V-neckline with no collar. Jacket has five decorative navy buttons, turned-back cuffs lined with white pique, China silk lining. Straight skirt. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwritten on tag sewn on back of label: 38713.

  • Evening Dress, 1950

    Evening Dress, 1950

    Dress and jacket of navy blue floral-embroidered net sewn onto flesh-colored silk chiffon attached to navy blue silk faille slip. Net has quilted effect made by tacking down net in area of embroidery, allowing remaining tulle to puff-up around edges. Dress is strapless, with small standing ruffle of net at bodice top. Separate waist-length jacket has navy tie around neckline, elbow length sleeves, and lining of navy blue silk organza. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwrit…

  • Silk Ottoman-Style Dress with Short Jacket, 1952

    Silk Ottoman-Style Dress with Short Jacket, 1952

    Short, off-white, heavily corded silk Ottoman-style dress with jacket. Strapless bodice with side seams emphasized by satin cording. Two satin bows on either side of waistline. Dress has been slightly shortened. Underneath dress is one layer of stiffening, one layer of tulle, and slip. Matching jacket is popularly called a shrug. Clothing label on dress: AUTOMNE-HIVER 1952/Christian Dior/PARIS. Stamped on label: 090226. Handwritten on tag sewn on back of label: 54.034. Clothing label on jacket: …

  • Printed Shantung Silk Dress and Jacket Ensemble, 1958

    Printed Shantung Silk Dress and Jacket Ensemble, 1958

    Dress and jacket ensemble in printed blue shantung silk. Modified surplice neckline. Short sleeves with self-fabric bows where sleeve and neckline meet. Fitted bodice, full skirt. Skirt has one heavy net petticoat with two layers of tulle sewn to it over navy blue silk slip. Matching waist-length jacket has peaked collar, curved lapel with two black silk button closure, two mock flap pockets, bracelet length sleeves. Clothing label: PRINTEMPS-ETE 1958/Christian Dior/PARIS. The 1958 collection wa…

  • Three-piece Beaded Satin Evening Dress, about 1950

    Three-piece Beaded Satin Evening Dress, about 1950

    Three-piece violet satin evening dress covered with violet bugle beads in random pattern. Separate bodice has heart-shaped neckline with 1 wide straps and 1-1/2 fold-over satin neckline. Bodice built over corselette with attached garters. Separate straight skirt with hip pockets. Separate unbeaded satin belt.

  • Three Piece Knitted Wool Dress Ensemble, 1951-1952

    Three Piece Knitted Wool Dress Ensemble, 1951-1952

    Three-piece yellow knitted wool jersey ensemble. Jacket has jewel neckline, bracelet-length sleeves, narrow cuffs, curved seams, mock flap pockets above bustline. Skirt front has inverted pleat. Bodice has jewel neckline, cap sleeves. Clothing label: MAINBOCHER INC. Mrs. Firestone rarely wore yellow, so this is an unusual choice for her.This garment was owned by Mrs. Harvey Firestone of Detroit, Michigan.

  • Silk Moire Suit with Asymmetrical Closure, 1951

    Silk Moire Suit with Asymmetrical Closure, 1951

    Navy blue silk moire suit. Asymmetrical closure with faceted jet buttons. Long sleeves, shallow cuffs, straight skirt. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwritten on tag sewn on back of label: 36.938.

  • Woman's Grey Polka Dot Two Piece Suit, 1953

    Woman's Grey Polka Dot Two Piece Suit, 1953

    Medium gray suit, possibly silk and wool, woven with light gray dots. Bodice has standing collar edged with blue crepe. Elbow-length sleeves with fullness gathered into small cuff. Skirt snaps onto bodice. Three buttons continue down skirt to hipline. Lined with navy silk. Clothing label: PRINTEMPS-ETE 1953/Christian Dior/PARIS/MADE IN FRANCE. Stamped on label: 33795.