Pale purple dress with white floral embroidery and matching belts
date: label: Date
content: 1970s
name: label: Created by
content: Phoenix Sportswear, Inc., American
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: A pale purple dress with white floral embroidery (a) matching, faux leather belt (b) and a fabric belt (c). The dress features a bodice with a deep, rounded neckline. There’s gathering under the neckline and a self-fabric bow at the neckline’s center front. There are short, set-in sleeves made from one panel of fabric, seamed together at the inner arm. White floral machine embroidery with cut work covers both the front and back of each sleeve. The dress opens at the proper left with a 12” metal zipper that has [WALDES] stamped on the metal pull. On either side of the center front waist of the skirt are 4" horizontal sections of gathered fabric and two thread belt loops (one on each side) are sewn to the hip. Two inches below the skirt waistline is a 7.25” panel of the same white embroidery with cut work that decorates the sleeves. A single fold hem measuring 5” is bound with .5” synthetic plain hem tape and is handstitched into place at the inside of the skirt.
label: Description
content: The back of the bust is made from one panel with two shoulder darts (one on each side) both measuring 3” Three panels seamed together at the side seams, makes up the back of the skirt. There is no white floral embroidery on the back of the skirt. At the interior neckline is a white woven brand label that reads [PHOENIX / SPORTSWEAR ‘CELANESE SANDSWEPT / A RAYON FABRIC / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF] in purple text. The interior waist is reinforced with a synthetic lilac .5” ribbon. All the seam allowances are machine stitched together. Some seam allowances are unfinished, and some are pinked.
label: Description
content: A self-fabric covered belt meant to be worn with the dress (b). Pale purple rayon covers the front side, and it’s backed with tan synthetic leather. There are two round metal eyes, one on either end of the belt.
label: Description
content: A self-fabric tie meant to be worn with the dress (c). The tie is made from one panel of pale purple rayon that is folded lengthwise and sewn along the edge.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Design
label: Topic
content: Fashion
label: Topic
content: Fashion design
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Musem Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.3.700abc
objectType: label: Type
content: dresses by function
label: Type
content: belts worn at the waist or below
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: rayon, plain weave ribbon, metal, and imitation leather
label: Dimensions
content: Length (a: shoulder to hem): 45 1/4 in. (114.9 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Width (a: shoulder to shoulder): 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Chest (a: bust, full): 38 in. (96.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Waist (a: full): 30 in. (76.2 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: L x W (b: belt): 29 × 1 in. (73.7 × 2.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: L x W (c: fabric tie): 36 3/4 × 1 3/4 in. (93.3 × 4.4 cm)