Dress
Designer
Claire McCardell
(1905 - 1958)
1954
Muslin cotton
Gift of Sally Kirkland
Object number76.33.34
The name Claire McCardell is synonymous with prototypically American style. A McCardell dress had ease and mobility, suiting the active and varied lifestyles of women in mid-twentieth-century America. "Each new collection," she once wrote, "starts with the idea of comfort, need, fun." Through the use of clever details, McCardell had the ability to create visual interest in even the most basic of garments, such as this simple cotton dress. Here, she has cleverly contrasted the overall diagonal checked pattern with two horizontal borders at the fitted midriff section, a technique also employed at the neckline. McCardell's accessible style had broad appeal, and her remarkable creativity was appreciated by industry insiders, such as the owner of this dress, Sally Kirkland, a longtime fashion editor at Life magazine.
DescriptionSleeveless dress in beige muslin with black windowpane check; fitted midriff panel, calf length flared skirt, wide wrap and tie sashCollections
Exhibitions