Navy Blue Dress with Hobble Skirt

circa 1910
VC2001069

The hobble skirt appeared ca. 1910 and was popularized by French designer Paul Poiret. It appears both as a streamlined cone and as a cinched-in pouf below the knee. Though the hobble skirt significantly impedes movement, its social significance was progressive rather than oppressive: the narrow shape of the hobble skirt mimics the silhouette of men’s pants. The style was widely mocked in cartoons of its time, perhaps due to the fear that if women wanted to dress like men, they might want to act like them, too. With the women’s suffrage movement gaining momentum, hobble skirts were a physical reminder that women were becoming more equal to men.

This hobble dress dates ca. 1910. It was used a costume prior to being rescued by the Vassar College Costume Collection, and underwent many alterations. As part of the restoration process, pale blue polyester was removed from the collar and the bottom of the skirt, along with blue cord that trimmed the collar, cuffs, and waist. It was then restored to its original size, as it had been crudely taken in at the sides. The inside lining was also reinforced with conservation netting. The final part of the restoration will be to establish the original style of the ribbon trim along the bottom of the skirt – there are several potential configurations.

Researched by Chloë Boxer '12
Stabilized by Chloë Boxer '12 and Anne Silk '13