Maroon Silk Moire Evening Dress
1889-1890
Gift of Lula Ward

This two piece evening dress of maroon silk moiré with silk and lace overlay is a typically elaborate fashion of the period. Bustles, at this time, are getting smaller.

Tea Rose Satin Dress
c1930
Gift of Mrs. James McGiffen

This dress is made of a heavy fabric, cut on the bias (across the grain). Bias cut clothing was popular in the 1930s because it created a softer more feminine silhouette. Zippers were seen in moderately priced women's clothing for the first time in the 1930s, and hair was longer and more softly waved and curled than it had been in the 1920s. This garment belonged to the mother of donor.