Dress
Date: 1920s
Material: ecru net, metal sequins, cotton thread
2019.28
Label: None
Gold and white chevron 1920s evening dress. Both front and back of dress and indistinguishable from each other. Chevrons are made of alternating lines of gold and white metal sequins to create the chevron design. Sequins are strung on a tan cotton string, and then tacked down onto ecru net. Snaps at shoulder seams for a slip. At both neckline and hemline, the chevron design is broken, and the dress is lined with horizontal lines of sequins.
Measurements:
Bust: 34 inches
Waist: 35 inches
Shoulder seam to back bottom: 41.5 inches
Underarm to bottom: 34.5 inches
More Information: Unique and supremely Art Deco, the contrasting metal sequins in gold and white mimic the popular geometric decorations of the 1920s. A prevalent form of surface ornamentation, the demand for sequins was so high that at some points throughout the decade, their demand outstripped their supply, especially in France. The sheer number of sequins on this dress make it a couture creation. Considered very modern, the high V-shaped neckline “made the figure look the slimmest,” according to one newspaper in 1924. The flare at the hem of the dress allowed for extra movement when dancing, and the glare from the gold sequins would have dazzled on the dancefloor during the most popular dances of the day: the Charleston or the Black Bottom.