Object description
This garment is a short-sleeved shirt dress made in 1949. It is a loose woven cotton fabric and has been designed by the Calico Printer’s Association. The dress is labeled as a size 14.
12 round and shiny plastic buttons in a celadon green fasten the garment at the front. These are the only fastenings on the garment (excluding the belt – see below).
The skirt measures 77 cm from the waist to hem. It is A-line in shape and is broken with 2 false a-symmetric pockets at hip height measuring 9cm at the shortest and 11cm at the longest. The waistline is covered by a fabric belt (4cm width) with a fabric covered circular buckle (6cm diameter). The dress measures 33cm across the natural waist. The back of the skirt is shaped with sewn gathers to create, and allow for, movement. The skirt consists of 2 additional triangular pieces, which at their fullest extent measure 44cm. This gives the skirt more shape and allows for greater freedom of movement.
The bodice is made from 2 panel pieces, and the sleeves are not separate, but include an insert at the under-arm to allow movement. The sleeves have a cuff which measures 4cm. The bodice measures 34cm from neck to waist. The collar is separate, with a slight curve and is 12cm in length from the first fastening. The back of the bodice is not fitted but gathered to create a sense of shape. The back bodice also is rounded to create shape.
The hem is hand-stitched, as is often the case in garments of this period. However, the seams are neither finished nor bound. The construction is rather simple and the pattern matches poorly at the back.
The pattern is extremely busy, colourful and completely covers the garment; it includes 3 shades of blue, 2 pinks, 1 green and 1 black. The floral motifs, which are largely abstracted, are outlined in black, which gives the appearance of a graphic design. This means that the pattern appears flat, but the fluidity and abundance of the repeats give the impression of nature gone wild. Indeed, on inspection the garment (due to its simplicity and rather crude construction) appears to be merely a vehicle for the pattern.
The print is hand, screen printed and bears the hallmarks of a typical design from the Calico Printer’s Association.
