Navy Blue Wool Gym Suit of M. Constance Wilson

Brief Item Record

Title: Navy Blue Wool Gym Suit of M. Constance Wilson

Date: 1905-1910

Description: Navy blue wool gymsuit; courtesy of Special Collections, Vassar College Library. Bodice: Navy blue wool (serge?); waistband of black cotton sateen; four rows of black wool braid on collar; three rows of black wool braid on cuffs; neckline and arms-eye finished with cotton sateen bias tape; four 3/8 inch black buttons on center front placate; 8 1/2 inch black buttons on waistband; 2 black metal hooks and bars on each cuff. Middy blouse; square sailor collar; 3 pleats in each shoulder; full front torso; puffed long sleeve; gathered into cuff at sleeve hem; 4 pleats in each side sewn into waistband; small box pleat at center back waist. Bloomers: Navy blue wool (serge?); dark green wool braiding at waist (4 horizontal lines) at intersection with 9 button holes; black cotton waist band; sateen and twill (under); 2 metallic snaps at right side seam and metal hook and bar; sateen at side seam opening (black); low (knee-length) crotch with diamond-shape crotch piece; 18 pleats at waist going in toward center seam; gathering at hem with unoriginal elastic; one box pleat wraps around side seam.

Full Item Record

Dublin Core

Identifier

VC9999001

Title

Navy Blue Wool Gym Suit of M. Constance Wilson

Description

Navy blue wool gymsuit; courtesy of Special Collections, Vassar College Library. Bodice: Navy blue wool (serge?); waistband of black cotton sateen; four rows of black wool braid on collar; three rows of black wool braid on cuffs; neckline and arms-eye finished with cotton sateen bias tape; four 3/8 inch black buttons on center front placate; 8 1/2 inch black buttons on waistband; 2 black metal hooks and bars on each cuff. Middy blouse; square sailor collar; 3 pleats in each shoulder; full front torso; puffed long sleeve; gathered into cuff at sleeve hem; 4 pleats in each side sewn into waistband; small box pleat at center back waist. Bloomers: Navy blue wool (serge?); dark green wool braiding at waist (4 horizontal lines) at intersection with 9 button holes; black cotton waist band; sateen and twill (under); 2 metallic snaps at right side seam and metal hook and bar; sateen at side seam opening (black); low (knee-length) crotch with diamond-shape crotch piece; 18 pleats at waist going in toward center seam; gathering at hem with unoriginal elastic; one box pleat wraps around side seam.

Date

1905-1910

Subject

Clothing and dress

Extent

41 inches (chest), 25 inches (waist), 18.5 inches (center front length), 17 inches (center back length), other measurements: Across back shoulders: 13.5 inches

Type

Physical Object

Temporal Coverage

1900s

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/

Rights Holder

© Vassar College Costume Collection. Images in this collection may be used for teaching, classroom presentation, and research purposes only. For other reuse, reproduction and publication of these images, contact costumeshop@vassar.edu.

Costume Item Type Metadata

Color Main

navy blue

Chest

41

Waist

25

Center Front Length

18.5

Center Back Length

17

Measurements Other

Across back shoulders: 13.5 inches

All Measurements

41 inches (chest), 25 inches (waist), 18.5 inches (center front length), 17 inches (center back length), other measurements: Across back shoulders: 13.5 inches

Label

MC Wilson; M. Constance Wilson on laundry labels hand-stitched inside back waist button placate.

Donor

Mary Constance Wilson

Date Earliest

1905

Date Latest

1910

Gender

womenswear

Classification

costume
clothing

Category

Sport

Function

sports clothing

Exhibitions

Vassar Girls and Other Women

Public Information

The blouse and bloomers of this gymsuit represent one stage in the tradition of physical education for women which has existed since the very early davs of Vassar history. As early as 1867, as indicated on the last page of a letter to parents from Vassar's first Lady Principal, Miss Lyman, students were required to buy gymsuits for their required physical education. This later suit represents the transition toward greater freedom of movement as women increased their participation in a wider range of activities.

Condition Term

very good

Condition Description

Bodice: color has faded slightly from original color on inside button placate; hole on right front below bust level; small hole below right armpit; side and shoulder seams unfinished.

Storage Location

Special Collections

Exhibition Notes

7 gymsuit, c. 1908 courtesy of Special Collections, Vassar College Library The blouse and bloomers of this gymsuit represent one stage in the tradition of physical education for women which has existed since the very early davs of Vassar history. As early as 1867, as indicated on the last page of a letter to parents from Vassar's first Lady Principal, Miss Lyman, students were required to buy gymsuits for their required physical education. This later suit represents the transition toward greater freedom of movement as women increased their participation in a wider range of activities.

Work Type

top
bloomers

Citation

“Navy Blue Wool Gym Suit of M. Constance Wilson,” Vassar College Costume Collection, accessed September 24, 2023, https://vccc.vassarspaces.net/items/show/1243.