1920s : Fashions of a Roaring Decade

[SomethingElse]

Printed Lame Party Dress, 1928-1932.

whitakerauction.com

 

[SomethingElse]

Unlabeled Gallenga Velvet Bag, c. 1920.

whitakerauction.com

 

[SomethingElse]

Deco Liberty Lame Opera Cape, 1920s.

whitakerauction.com

 

[SomethingElse]

2 Pair black Jeweled Shoe Heels.

whitakerauction.com

 

[SomethingElse]

Stenciled Velvet Bag, c. 1920.

 

[SomethingElse]

1924. Crimson georgette; round neck, front lower than back; sleeveless; edges of neck and armsyce (armhole) self-bound; cut straight to dropped waist; bodice side seams, with the left side closed with snaps; self rosette with smaller buds of pale pink georgette attached at right shoulder; circle skirt with side seams; foldover hem; additional rosettes with buds scattered on skirt near hem.

Anne Wood was a young woman working as a clerk for the U.S. Government in Washington, D.C., when she wore this dress. In later life she said that this dress was wonderful for dancing. She met John H. Murray at the office and they married in 1927. After their marriage he went to night school to become a lawyer. When he died in the 1940s, she joined the staff at the Smithsonian Institution. Eventually, Mrs. Murray became the curator of costume. She was responsible for the Hall of American Costume when the National Museum of History and Techology (later the National Museum of American History) opened in 1964. Her association with the museum continued until her death in 2001, at the age of 104.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1924. Red georgette crepe; Underdress-round neck; short sleeves with band of pleating at bottom; pleated at sides, starting at armscye (armhole) and down center front; deep foldover hem; Tunic-red georgette with gold plush in half-swirl design; tunic front open partway down (with overcasting to finish edge) and tacked at intervals to expose georgette; skirt portion split at center front and back to form tabs below the waist; tabs have deep foldover hem; tunic hangs loose except at neck; tunic attached to underdress at neck with georgette binding; tunic sewn together at sides about 1/2" below armscye; metallic fabric loops attached between waist and armscye with metallic cord lacing; lacings end in tassels.

This dress was worn by Mary Marr Armstrong in Washington, D.C. It was exhibited in the Hall of American Costume from 1964 to 1973.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1925-1927. Evening; chartreuse crepe-back satin; dropped waistline seam; sleeveless; bodice overlayed completely with beaded chartreuse chiffon; neckline and armholes heavily beaded with clear and silver bugle beads, rhinestones, and pearls; deep scoop neckline in front and deep, slightly V neckline in back; additional beaded trim in floral design along lower bodice; satin skirt; overlapping chiffon petal-shaped panels, beaded at edges; overlay skirt; heavily beaded panel around hips, sewn into waistline seam and with free hanging, scalloped lower edge; panel at center back wider and longer than those around sides and front; panels have picot edges.

This evening dress was worn by an American woman. Although there is no label, the construction and elaborate beading design make us believe that it might have been made in France.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1927-1929. Evening; rose-colored velvet; sleeveless with dropped neckline front and back; rolled hem at neck and sleeve openings; openings edged with gold metallic trim; side seams; appliqued band that forms draped cummerbund effect around hips; band decorated with elaborate design of turquoise blue beads set in gold; beads form circles around most of band but are formed into medallion at center front; additional trimming on band of same trim as in bodice; dropped waist seam; skirt shirred below waist seam; skirt embellished with sequins and metallic cord in elaborate design; deeply scalloped hem, longer in back than front; hem edge bound with pink satin; pink silk lining treated as one with velvet (stitching through both layers); originally had separate pink slip that attached to dress at shoulders with snaps (snaps remain).

This evening dress was worn by the donor's sister, Mrs. Frederick Keep. Mrs. Crane donated a number of items from her sister's estate to the Smithsonian Institution. Exhibited in the Hall of American Costume from 1964 to 1973.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1929. Evening; dress and slip; DRESS-bodice portion of yellow crepe-back satin; neck round in front and V in back; sleeveless; neck and sleeve openings bound with self fabric; side seams; two horizontal tucks at either side near waist that extend from front and into back; georgette skirt applied over bodice; leaf appliques sewn over join between skirt and bodice and extend up into bodice; skirt painted with flower and leaf design, outlined in gold; scalloped hem; skirt overlaps so that is free at left side; SLIP-narrow straps that attach to dress through snapped keepers at shoulders; upper portion of satin with deep scoop neck; panels of crepe applied in lower portion in irregular pattern; uneven hem.

This evening dress belonged to Olive Gale Hill McLean. Born in New York in April 1881, Olive was the only child of Thomas and Ida May Gale. Soon after her birth, the family moved to Washington, D.C. Mr. Gale was involved in real estate developments; his company was instrumental in the development of the Chevy Chase portion of Washington, D.C., including street and bridge building. After her debutante season, Olive and her mother traveled to Europe, where she purchased many other items that are now in the costume collection. When her engagement to William Hill was announced in 1901, her parents offered her the choice of a large wedding in Washington or a smaller one in London with a honeymoon in Europe. She chose the latter, so the couple was married in London in September 1902. The marriage was not successful and they divorced in 1913. In November 1916 she married a naval officer, Ridley McLean, and her two children assumed his name. This dress was worn in the winter of 1929, probably wherever they were stationed at that time.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1929. Black crepe-back satin; sleeveless; round neck, lower in front than back; self binding at neck and sleeve edges; cut very straight to hips; uneven dropped waist seam; circular skirt with foldover hem; occasional tucks in skirt at waist seam to make drape more evenly.

The donor of this dress wore it while she was attending Christian Female College (later Columbia College) in Columbia, Missouri, in 1929. She had purchased it a shop in Memphis, Tennessee, because, as she said, "dresses went down that year." She also wore it to afternoon teas and tea dances at the neighboring University of Missouri. Exhibited in Suiting Everyone: The Democratization of Clothing in America from 1974 to 1979.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1920-1929. Evening; dress with slip; DRESS-gold-colored net covered in glass bugle beads in diamond design; neckline trimmed with sequins in a floral pattern; sleeveless; low V neck in back and front; dropped irregular waist seam; skirt formed of petal-shaped sections trimmed with sequins in floral design; uneven hem; open down the back from neckline to hip to expose slip beneath; SLIP-gold silk woven with silk wrapped in gold-colored foil; cut straight across bust; narrow straps; slightly A-line in shape; deep foldover hem.

The donor was a collector of costume, and wrote the museum that this dress was worn by a woman who "was very social" and lived in Boston. The labels in this dress indicate that it was custom-made in France for Stewart and Company, a specialty shop. Exhibited in Men and Women: A History of Costume, Gender and Power in America from 1989 to 1991.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[SomethingElse]

1920-1924. Evening; red creped georgette with woven silver metallic geometric and floral pattern; round neck, lower in front than back; sleeveless; edges of neck and armscye (armhole) faced with light red georgette; back has hanging panel from neck to waist, gathered at neck edge; dropped waist seam; separate inset band around hips that is asymetrical at lower edge, curving up at right side; shirred skirt with four rows of shirring, attached to bottom of inset; skirt overlaps at right side so that panel hangs free; lower portion of skirt of silver metallic lace; two rosettes of self-fabric and hanging panel of silver metallic lace attached at right hip; off-white georgette slip, sewn to dress at shoulders and waistband seams, that extends to bottom of georgette portion of skirt.

The donor wore this dress to a White House function in Washington, D.C., in the early 1920s. This could have been either during the Warren Harding or Calvin Coolidge administrations. Her husband was a local banker and they were probably active in Washington society. She purchased the dress at a fashionable local department store, Julius Garfinckel and Company, called "Garfinckel's" by local residents.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[Clara-B]

I've just spent the most enjoyable couple of hours browsing this thread. Just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who's posted all these beautiful clothes from my favourite fashion era.

 

[DosViolines]

SomethingElse, I can't give you karma at the moment, but thanks for all your posts

I especially like the Liberty Cape (#284) and the velvet dress in post #290

 

[DosViolines]

Liberty Gold Lame Sleeveless Shrug
French, circa 1920
With the main of ruched gold and black lame, a gold lame panel trim sewn to form armscyes, one size, labeled: Liberty/Paris/3 Bld des Capucines.

doylenewyork

 

[DosViolines]

Black Chiffon Chemise Dress
1920s
Sleeveless, the V-neck, low waist and sides embroidered with silver and gold sequins and bugle beads, the skirt with castellated hem and cutouts, embroidered with same in stylized floral and geometric pattern

doylenewyork

 

[DosViolines]

Midnight Blue Opera Coat
1920s
Of fine black net over blue silk, cobweb embroidered with small jet, blue and clear glass beads, in swirling pattern along cuffs of loose dolman sleeves and along all edges, trimmed in blue velvet and fastened at low front with velvet flower, labeled: B. Altman & Co./Paris/New York.

doylenewyork

 

[DosViolines]

Another marvelous deco-patterned coat

Seafoam Green Silk Velvet Opera Coat
1920s, probably French
Embroidered with gold beads in a pattern of circles and diamond shapes, with padded ruched collar.

doylenewyork

 

[DosViolines]

Black Satin Evening Coat
French, late 1920s
The calf length wrap with button at hip, black crepe ribbon inserts and scallop trim at hem

doylenewyork