Franklin Simon Beaded Lace Dress

Brief Item Record

Title: Franklin Simon Beaded Lace Dress

Creator: Franklin Simon & Co.

Date: 1912 (circa)

Description: Dress of light tan silk and lace with rhinestones and beading; many layers; bodice has 8.75 inch wide tan lace pieces that are draped over each shoulder from the waist in front to the waist in the back; asymmetrical bodice overlay in front and back of light tan silk jacquard in a geometric motif; lace inset at center front to fill in v-neckline made by lace shoulder pieces; center back placket of hooks, eyes, and snaps is covered by asymmetrical sash and bodice overlays; pleated sash of ivory metallic organza with coral silk trim at the top edge; hanging piece of light tan silk geometric jacquard coming down from sash on left side; diagonal overskirt of light tan silk geometric pattern jacquard, using selvages as edge finish at center front, draped into swag at center back behind knee level and caught with buckle covered in self-fabric; lace skirt with gold and white beads and rhinestones in large scallop pattern; bodice band of ivory silk satin with selvage finish at upper edge; bodice is lined with light peachy tan silk crepe; inner waistband of 4 inch wide ivory grosgrain with metal hook and eye closure; skirt is lined with light tan silk crepe, with a rounded slit opening at the center front hem. sleeves of off-white/golden metallic organza; waistline trim of coral silk; light tan silk chiffon; light tan silk voile; light tan satin; light tan net; off-white seam binding.

Full Item Record

Dublin Core

Identifier

VC1992035

Title

Franklin Simon Beaded Lace Dress

Description

Dress of light tan silk and lace with rhinestones and beading; many layers; bodice has 8.75 inch wide tan lace pieces that are draped over each shoulder from the waist in front to the waist in the back; asymmetrical bodice overlay in front and back of light tan silk jacquard in a geometric motif; lace inset at center front to fill in v-neckline made by lace shoulder pieces; center back placket of hooks, eyes, and snaps is covered by asymmetrical sash and bodice overlays; pleated sash of ivory metallic organza with coral silk trim at the top edge; hanging piece of light tan silk geometric jacquard coming down from sash on left side; diagonal overskirt of light tan silk geometric pattern jacquard, using selvages as edge finish at center front, draped into swag at center back behind knee level and caught with buckle covered in self-fabric; lace skirt with gold and white beads and rhinestones in large scallop pattern; bodice band of ivory silk satin with selvage finish at upper edge; bodice is lined with light peachy tan silk crepe; inner waistband of 4 inch wide ivory grosgrain with metal hook and eye closure; skirt is lined with light tan silk crepe, with a rounded slit opening at the center front hem. sleeves of off-white/golden metallic organza; waistline trim of coral silk; light tan silk chiffon; light tan silk voile; light tan satin; light tan net; off-white seam binding.

Date

1912 (circa)

Subject

Clothing and dress

Extent

34.75 inches (chest), 21 inches (waist), other measurements: underbust 25.5; skirt side length 42

Type

Physical Object

Spatial Coverage

United States

Temporal Coverage

1910s

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

Cataloguer with Date

Arden Kirkland 1/12/2009

Color Main

tan

Color Secondary

orange
white
gold
coral
cream

Costume Components

lining

Chest

34.75

Waist

21

Measurements Other

underbust 25.5; skirt side length 42

All Measurements

34.75 inches (chest), 21 inches (waist), other measurements: underbust 25.5; skirt side length 42

Label

Franklin Simon & Co.

Date Earliest

1908

Date Latest

1917

Culture

American

Gender

womenswear

Classification

costume
clothing

Function

evening dress

Exhibitions

Fashion and the Feminine 10/07

Public Information

This gown from the 1910's exemplifies the transition away from the elaborated silhouette and concealed body of the Victorian era, and toward the simplified and revealed body of the Roaring Twenties. It lacks the exaggerated silhouette of the bustle or hoop skirt. While a corset would have been worn under this dress, it would have been a transitional corset as well, emphasizing the verticality of the body and slimming the hips rather than exaggerating the hourglass figure of the previous period. This gown is well loved by the students who have seen it on display. As a result, it has become the subject of a project in which the gown is being reproduced in a larger size so that costume history students can try it on and experience what it was like to wear it. The original is somewhat fragile, which means that we have to be very careful with it, but the way that it is deteriorating inspires us even more to fully research and reproduce it before the deterioration progresses much further.

Condition Term

poor

Condition Description

outer layers have some tears, probably has darkened with age, innermost lining is very brittle and shattered

Mannequin

10 with legs

Storage Location

E5

Work Type

dress

Citation

Franklin Simon & Co., “Franklin Simon Beaded Lace Dress,” Vassar College Costume Collection, accessed December 3, 2023, https://vccc.vassarspaces.net/items/show/707.

Related Items:

http://vcomeka.com/vccc/images/1992.035.condition2009.pdf