i64264 |
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Object Description
Type | Physical Object |
Basic ID | Day dress, 1951. Wool crepe. Charles James, U.S.A. Worn by donor Mrs. Howard Linn neé Lucy McCormick Blair. 1959.486a-b |
Title | Dress |
Artists/Makers |
James, Charles, 1906-1978 (designer) Samuel Winston Inc. (manufacturer) |
Place of Origin | New York (N.Y.) |
Date | 1951 |
Physical Description | Dress (a) of high-pile gray wool, with wide, scooped boat-neck; fitted bodice. Slightly belled elbow-length sleeves. Straight skirt with pleat at back proper left side; falls just below the knee. Belt (b), self-fabric, worn at natural waist; center front closure with small self-fabric covered square buckle. |
Materials/Techniques |
wool (hair material) crepe (textile) |
Marks | Samuel Winston/by Charles James; BRAMSON/OAK PARK-PALM BEACH-EVANSTON |
Object History | This dress was initially designed as a ready-to-wear dress for production by Samuel Winston. The precisely placed seams allowed the garment to be tailored to the exact measurements of its wearer. Only one other version is known to still exist: Angelina Jolie wore it in the 2010 movie The Tourist. Jolie's dress was reportedly a loan from Lily et Cie a popular clothing shop in Los Angeles that specializes in vintage clothing. Worn by donor Mrs. Howard Linn neé Lucy McCormick Blair. |
Curatorial Statement | James created the wide curve of this collar using a bat-making techniques: numerous small stitches force the material in the desired direction, similar to the way the curve of a hat's brim is held in place. To make the slim pencil skirt wearable, he added a controlled flare of fabric to the back. The flare both allowed the wearer to walk naturally and pulled the skirt back into shape. The garment also features a curved belt, a design James used throughout his career. |
Classification | costume (mode of fashion) |
Categories |
clothing main garments afternoon dress |
Object Types |
dresses (garments) belts (costume accessories) |
Related Persons | Linn, Lucy Blair, 1886-1978 |
Credit Line | Gift of Mrs. Howard Linn |
Owner | Chicago Historical Society |
Copyright Notice | © Chicago Historical Society, published on or before 2017, all rights reserved. |
Exhibition History |
Chic Chicago : Couture Treasures from the Chicago History Museum. Fashion Institute of Technology (2007/10/12 - 2008/01/05) Charles James : Genius Deconstructed. Chicago History Museum (2011/10/22 - 2012/04/16) |
Object Number | 1959.486a-b |
Image File Name | ICHi-63494; ICHi-64287; ICHi-64288; ICHi-64290; ICHi-64609; ICHi-64610 |
Language | English |
Repository | Chicago History Museum. 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614-6038 |
Collection Name | Museum Collection |
Research Inquiry | http://libguides.chicagohistory.org/research |
Licensing Inquiry | Visit https://images.chicagohistory.org or email rightsrepro@chicagohistory.org |
Description
Title | i64264 |
Copyright Notice | © Chicago Historical Society, published on or before 2017, all rights reserved. |
Image File Name | i63494.jpg |
Repository | Chicago History Museum. 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614-6038 |
Collection Name | Museum Collection |