Gold sequined dress with matching hat and purse
date: label: Date
content: 1980s
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: A gold sequined dress (a) with a matching hat (b) and purse (c). The dress has a sheath silhouette and is made from gold synthetic faille material covered in gold plastic sequins. There is a 2.75” wide standing band collar made from one panel of that fabric that opens at the center back. Each sleeve is made from one panel, sewn to itself at the inner arm and there is gathering around the outer forearm, creating a ruched effect. A self-fabric sash, starting at the proper left shoulder drapes across the front of the body, ending at the proper right hip. The sash is made one from folded panel and tapers slightly at the end, and a 7” flower made from the same material, and stuffed with padding, is hand tacked on top of the sash, at the proper left shoulder.
label: Description
content: The band collar closes center back with three pairs of metal hooks and eyes and a 23” metal zipper with plastic teeth. There are two shoulder darts, one on each side, measuring 3.5” and there is a 4” single fold hem at the bottom of the dress that is hand sewn to the interior lining. The inside of the dress is lined with gold synthetic faille and the inner construction mostly matches the outer construction. However, there are patches of pieced-in gold fabric near the neckline from previous repairs. A white cotton sweat liner is sewn at each inner armpit and the liner on the proper right has the reads - [RANDS / GUARANTEED / WATERPROOF / WASHABLE / "THEY LAST LONGER" / BOILABLE / 70 / 2 / (ILLEGIBLE) GG] in black text. All the interior seam allowances are bound with cotton twill tape. There is no brand label on the dress.
label: Description
content: A matching gold sequined hat (b) made from one panel of gold synthetic silk faille with gold sequins that has been draped, folded, and stitched into shape. The hat is cylindrical and asymmetrical with the center front slightly to the proper left and the longer point covering the left ear. Roughly three panels of gold synthetic silk faille make up the interior and all seams have been machine sewn together. The upper interior of the hat is stuffed with an unknown material for added shape. There is no label.
label: Description
content: The matching purse (c) has a tube-like structure made from two panels of gold sequined-covered synthetic faille, seamed together horizontally around the circumference of the purse. It’s sewn to itself at the center back. A circular panel made from the same material is machine sewn to the bottom and gathered at the center to create a ruched effect. The hat is shaped with synthetic buckram - on panel at the top and one at the bottom and there is cotton twill casing sewn to interior. There is no purse strap and no brand label.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Millinery
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Museum 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: 2007.3.793abc
objectType: label: Type
content: purses (bags)
label: Type
content: dresses
label: Type
content: hats
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: synthetic faille, cotton, twill, buckram, padding, sequin, metal, plastic, and elastic
label: Dimensions
content: a: dress
label: Dimensions
content: Length (a: collar to hem): 49 in. (124.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Width (a: shoulder to shoulder): 16 in. (40.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Chest (a: full): 39 in. (99.1 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: b: hat
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (b: hat): 15 1/2 × 7 × 7 × 19 in. (39.4 × 17.8 × 17.8 × 48.3 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: c: purse
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (c: purse): 10 1/2 × 5 1/2 in. (26.7 × 14 cm)