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Historic Richmond Town

Object Record

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Object Name Dress
Date 1932-1941
Description Woman's 1-piece dress. Made of silk or rayon with a fuchsia floral print on a chartreuse green background. Dress has a cross-over V neckline, gathered shoulders, puffed short sleeves with shirred detail, and side zipper closure. Bodice is shirred at shoulder seam and above bustline, with two self-fabric bows at the shirring above the bustline. Natural waistline has self-fabric tie belt held by 2 loops, and skirt has 8 gored panels. Cloth label inside neckline: "A Registered / ORIGINAL DESIGN / with / FASHION ORIGINATORS GUILD / 858." The Fashion Originators Guild of America was organized in an attempt to control design piracy; it was in existence from 1932 to 1941.
(Keywords: Fashion, Twentieth Century, New York)
Acquisition Gift of Isabelle Richardson
Ownership and History This dress was worn by Isabelle Rogers Richardson of Staten Island. Born Isabelle Susan Rogers, daughter of Isabelle (Munro) and William W. Rogers, she graduated from Cornell University in 1930 and began working with the Bureau of Insular Affairs of the War Department in New York. At that time, she lived on Scribner Avenue in New Brighton, Staten Island. By 1933, Isabelle Rogers was working as a teacher at Curtis High School. In 1940, she was married to Stuart H. Richardson, also a Cornell graduate, who had two daughters, Elizabeth Ann and Elsie Scott Richardson. The couple had a son, Stuart H. Richardson, Jr., in 1942. In later years, Mrs. Richardson lived on Helena Road, Todt Hill, Staten Island, and was an active member of the Staten Island Historical Society and its Women's Auxiliary.
Earliest Date 1932
Latest Date 1941
Subjects Clothing & dress
Lexicon Sub-category Clothing -- Outerwear
Associated People Richardson, Isabelle (Rogers)
Catalog Number 86.003.0006
Support Acknowledgment Online Collections Database record made possible by The Coby Foundation, 2009.
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