DRESS: COTTON VOILE, FLORAL PRINT, ORANGE AND GREEN

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c. 1945

Subcollections

Overview

Cotton voile dress with floral pattern, two tones of orange, yellow, cream and green. V-neck bodice with short sleeves. One press stud at base of V-neck. Three press studs on left side at waist level. There are a number of repair patches of the same material on this dress. One at the base of the skirt on the front and three on the back.

Historical information

Dress is home made (machine sewn), and was owned by Mrs Lilian Bunning of Ballarat, later of Subiaco. It was used as an afternoon dress at home and at social occasions.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-43-2001.72

Item type

Textiles

Material

Cotton

Fabrics

Contextual Information

Dress worn by Lilian Bunning, a concert pianist, who moved in artistic circles and whose husband was an artist. It was donated by her niece.

Cotton voile dress with floral pattern, 2 tones of orange, yellow, cream and green. V-neck and short sleeves. One press stud at base of v-neck. 3 press studs on left side at waist level
Lightweight summer frock. Floral prints were popular for summer and spring dresses
Bodice gathered in at the waist and then skirt flares out. The waistline is back at the natural position. We have small gathers at the bustline here which would flatter the shape of the bust and draw the eye to the waist.
Short capelet sleeves which came into fashion in the 1930s. They accentuated the waistline and added a sense of femineity. These were styles popular through the 1940s
Dress is homemade (machine sewn), and was used as an afternoon dress at home and at social occasions.
The repair works show how women would re-wear and repair dresses in the 1940s with wartime rations on fabric.

Keywords

BUNNING Lilian

Year

c. 1945

Statement of significance

social - worn by local female resident for social and home wear

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Comparative significance criteria

Rare or representative

Well provenanced