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76.173.1

76.173.1

Object: Evening dress
Designer: (1905 - 1958)
Date: c. 1955
Medium: Silk faille and brass
Country: USA
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Adrian McCardell
Object number: 76.173.1
DescriptionEvening popover dress in red and purple wide stripe silk faille; bias cut surplice bodice with high V-neck, short dolman sleeves, brass hooks and eyes at LS; long full skirt
Label Text:Claire McCardell introduced her famous "Popover" dress in 1942. The first incarnation of the design, in denim, was inexpensive, practical, and stylish. It was a versatile garment that could be worn alone or, as McCardell said, "over everything from evening clothes to dungarees." The "Popover" was so successful that it became a mainstay in her collections, seen here in a more sophisticated fabric - red and purple silk faille - and styled for the 1950s hostess. The surplice top, cut on the bias, forms a very high neckline, closing at the side with brass hooks and eyes, which McCardell preferred to zippers. Although McCardell herself did not care for girdles or corsets, the fitted bodice follows the natural curves of a woman's body, and when paired with the full pleated skirt, creates the de rigueur hourglass shape.

Exhibitions:
  • 50 Years of Fashion, 1947 - 1997
  • Claire McCardell and the American Look
  • Fashion, A-Z: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum at FIT (Part One)