Construction of the Reproduction

What construction techniques were used to make this dress?

We've made a lot of progress, and the reproduction is almost done. Take a look at this slideshow, showing many of the steps along the way (and many students helping out).



A great deal of credit goes out to the following students for their hard work to actually put the reproduction together:

Emily Riehl-Bedford (many parts of the bodice - and she was the one who stuck around after finals to help put it all together!)
Jessica Barksdale (skirt)
Chloe Boxer (bodice)
Elisabeth Watson (overskirt and overlays, lace skirt)
Emily Leimkuhler (lace skirt)
Danielle Morvant (pleated sash)
Margaret Dwyer (cutting out parts of the bodice)
Sharon Scoble (lace skirt)
Emily Antenucci (sleeves)

(If I'm forgetting anything or anyone, just let me know and I'll edit!)

Construction Order of the Original

What construction techniques were used to make this dress?

After carefully studying the construction details of the original dress, I think I've figured out the steps taken to put it together. Here's a slideshow with some detailed images:



For our construction steps on the reproduction, I've made a few changes to incorporate some modern conveniences, like serging raw edges.
To view a table with the details, go to:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7ouScE49p7pFev1bQXpCWw

Dyeing

Where can we find similar fabrics, trims, and hardware to reproduce the dress?

Two of our fabrics, the silk jacquard and the beaded lace, needed to be dyed for the color to match the original more precisely. Here are the swatches from our attempt to make the match. Students Chloe Boxer (VC '12), Emily Leimkuhler (VC '10), and Charlie Pane (VC '10) all helped to get the dyeing just right. We started dyeing on Weds., and thought we were done, but looking at it dry on Friday morning, it still wasn't quite right. We worked on it throughout the day, taking the fabric out of the vat, adding just a few more grains of dye, and putting the fabric back in to try again - it was certainly tedious, but we finally got it just right!

From Dyeing

From Dyeing

Mockup Fitting

What would the flat pattern for the dress look like?
What would the dress have looked like in 3D? In motion?

We finally had a mockup fitting to try out the pattern of the enhanced size reproduction!

Here's a slideshow from the fitting.I'm trying out the slideshow feature from Flickr - if it doesn't show up, please try a different browser. Click on the arrow (play button) for it to start playing. You can also click on the icon in the bottom right hand corner for a fullscreen view - and then, to get out of it, press the "esc" key.

The fitting went amazingly well, with only a few minor alterations. I'm patting myself on the back for my draping!

Completed Draping of Original Size

What would the dress have looked like in 3D?
What would the flat pattern for the dress look like?

Today I finally finished the draping of the original size dress!




(click here if you have trouble viewing the slideshow)

List of materials

Next, it's time to get intimate with the dress. I really need to know it inside out if I'm going to find answers to the questions we are posing. I started today by taking lots of notes about each part of the dress.

What are the different fabrics, trims, and hardware used in the dress?

Starting at the top of the dress and working down, I tried to identify each different material used in the dress, including both soft goods and hardware. One of the wonderful aspects of this period, the 1910's, is that while the silhouette is fairly simple, there is a rich layering of materials that adds incredible detail to the garment. But after my notes from this day, my total still wasn't complete - as Emily Leimkuhler (VC '10) and Liz Labrocca (VC '09) have been working with me on this project, they have pointed out materials that didn't make it on my list! After their input, the total is now up to 15 different soft goods and 8 different types of hardware:

-2 different peach/tan silk linings (slightly different shade from bodice to skirt)
-tan lace yardage with beading (middle skirt layer)
-tan lace trim, 8.75" wide (over the shoulders of the bodice, and filling in the neck)
-tan silk jacquard with geometric, pixelated pattern (overskirt, asymmetrical bodice overpieces, hanging piece in back)
-4" wide off white grosgrain ribbon (inner waistband)
-metallic organza - off-white/golden (pleated sash)
-coral silk (sash trim)
-off-white silk chiffon (lining of lace)
-off-white silk voile (lining of asymmetrical bodice overpieces)
-off-white satin (band that forms middle layer of bodice)
-off-white net edging (pleated trim at top edge of bodice)
-tan net (lining center front inset in bodice)
-2 widths and qualities of off white seam binding
-gold beads
-white beads
-rhinestones
-buckle (decorative, covered in self fabric)
-3 different sizes of hooks: 3/16" (overlapping sash, meet with thread chain loops), 1/4" (bodice closure, meet matching bars on satin bodice) , 3/8" (inner waistband closure, meet matching eyes)
-1/4" snaps (skirt placket)

Here's a slideshow of some of the materials:

1st Object Chosen

After careful consideration, we have chosen our first object to reproduce. This gown, with accession number 1992.035 in our collection, is well loved by the students who have previosuly seen it on display. It 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. We believe it to be from about 1910-1915; further research should confirm that. The dress has a label which reads "Franklin Simon & Co. / Fifth Avenue, New York."

Here is a slideshow of images of the dress.
Thanks to volunteer Lydia Palmiotti for helping to mount the dress and take photos of it.

Use your mouse to roll over the bottom of the slideshow viewer so that you can stop the slides and move forward or backward through them at your own pace. Also you can view the photos and slideshow in our Picasa Web Album if you click here.

Example of a visit: "Fashion and the Feminine"

As an example of what students experience when we host a class visit, here is a slideshow from a recent event. "Women's Studies: Fashion and the Feminine," taught by Susan Hiner, visited the Vassar College Costume Collection on October 10, 2007.

Use your mouse to roll over the bottom of the slideshow viewer so that you can stop the slides and move forward or backward through them at your own pace. Also you can view the photos and slideshow in our Picasa Web Album if you click here.