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Inspired by encaptivating views of floral gardens and nature, we have brought this collection together to captivate onlookers such as one who is walking through a botanical garden on a warm spring day. Our looks are taken from several decades throughout the 20th century. In this exhibit, you might notice the prominent use of many floral patterns, laces, and bright colors.
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Granny chic, peasant-style dresses were a standout fashion fad amongst youth during the 1960s-1980s. As seen in the 1960s puff-sleeved pink floral dress and the1980s green dress decorated with dainty florals and lace, the trend challenged the binary construction of “young” versus “old” as the prints pulled inspiration from clothing and textile popular during the 19th-century arts and crafts movement. Although the 1930s rayon green dress with ruffles precedes the dates for the trend of Granny chic, it was included in this exhibition because it includes similar style elements.
In the 1960s, media began to influence the way people dressed strongly. Granny Chic and Peasant-inspired looks emulated styles seen in historically-set films and television shows, including Little House on the Prairie, and ethnic looks were exposed to the public via worldwide television news coverage (Crane, 1999; Welters & Lillethun, 2022).
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1930s Silk Coral Halter Gown
This 1930s coral halter gown is accented with a white eyelet (cutwork) bolero to give the ensemble a soft spring touch. Its body-molding silhouette was achieved using a design technique popularized by courtier Madeleine Vionnet, which entailed cutting fabric on the bias (Dilworth, 146). (Dress on right front)
1960s/1970s Floral Sequined Sheath Dress
This dress is covered with beautiful sequined flowers. The fitted sheath dress is designed to create the illusion of an hourglass figure. (left dress in back)
