dress, 2-piece
date: label: Date made
content: 1955
name: label: maker
content: Charlotte Villaret
notes: label: Description
content: Dress, 2-piece; navy crepe; Dress: navy satin rolled collar forms folded band neckline in F; collar ahs rounded points at CB neckline, above CB opening, which extends into skirt placket, with 14 flat, satin-covered buttons and bound buttonholes; hook and snap at top; attached satin bow at CB neckline with long loops and wasit length ties; short sleeves are an extension of bodice with underarm gussets; small turned-up cuffs; fitted bodice; flared skirt has 8 gores; Belt: self-fabric; shaped; oval F sections joined to contoured B by rectangular brass loops; pointed tongue, extending from one oval, and satin-covered buckle, extending from other; smaller satin appliques on oval sections; navy leather backing; dress measures 42 1/2" (108 cm) down CB.
label: Description
content: Label text: Haute Couture / Charlotte Villaret / New York
label: Description
content: Donor was Charlotte Villaret's daughter. According to donor, dress was lengthened; faint line visible. Worn to cocktail parties, teas, and graduation; donor refers to dress as an "afternoon dress"; donor always preferred dresses with special back insert and mother (Villaret) complied.
label: Description
content: Villaret worked for Valentina, Muriel King, and Charles James in late 1930s through 1950s; then was in business for herself in New York and San Antonio, Texas. According to donor, Villaret's clients included Elise A. Roosevelt, Elizabeth Taylor, Katherine Hepburn, Grace Moore and Lily Pons. The Smithsonian accepted some Villaret garments from donor and the rest went to Marymount University's Costume and Textile collection.
label: Description
content: A short biography of Villaret written by donor includes personal anecdotes about her experience working for Muriel King and Charles James. See accession file for details.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Costume
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Ginette V. Patch
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1994.0263.005
label: catalog number
content: 1994.0263.005
label: accession number
content: 1994.0263
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Dress, 2-piece