Golden Brown Cutaway Coat

Brief Item Record

Title: Golden Brown Cutaway Coat

Date: 1915 (circa)

Description: Brown cutaway coat. Wool exterior with silk satin lining, plastic hook and eye fastener at center front, metallic thread in trim.; Rusty brown wool exterior with brown silk satin lining. Metallic bronze and cream decorative lace peacock eye motif trim along inside, covering seam of lining and outer body. This cocoon-shaped rusty brown coat opens down the center front, fastened by plastic red and orange hook and eye clasp. The bottom hem cuts away from fastener to side seam in sweeping curve created by two large pleats on each side. The hem in back is rounded; the longest length is at center back. A flat collar at neckline is cut all-in-one, as is the back and front sides of garment. Even the sleeves are cut as part of body, extending straight from the shoulders with seams at top and bottom. Folded back cuffs with 3-button detail end the sleeves. A trim of peacock feather motif inside covering the attachment of lining to exterior body.The emphasis on curving lines is repeated throughout the forms of the coat. The volume and proportion center in the middle, roughly at the waist. This is a major departure from earlier styles, even a reversal from the corseted figure, the ideal hourglass. The mass in this coat is largest in the middle, tapering on the top at bottom. Not only the main body rounds in the middle, but the sleeves hitting at the widest part adds extra dimension so exaggerate the silhouette. This volume is all created with single small darts at each shoulder and the pleats at the waist.

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