Object description

Dress 40 is a summer dress manufactured by Horrockses in the 1950s. It has a fitted bodice, short sleeves and a full circle skirt. The dress measures 95cm from neck to hem.

The bodice is made from 3 pieces; 2 panels at the front and one at the back. The front bodice is secured with 4 buttons. The bodice is fitted with 2 darts at the front on each panel, each measuring 19cm.

The sleeves are short, gathering at the cuff, which is made from the mint green element of the fabric’s pattern. The cuff has a military feel, finished with a 90 degree half-diamond in which a small green button is centred.

The skirt is made from one piece and is gathered at the waist and secured with a seam at the front and 2 poppas and a hook and eye. The skirt includes 2 hidden pockets at each side. The dress is completed with a fabric covered belt. The hem has been hand finished, as have all of the details, such as buttons and other fastenings.

The dress is made from a cotton and has been roller printed vertically – this enables the print to appear banded on such a large amount of fabric. This style of design was pioneered for Horrockses by Alistair Morton (Edinburgh Weavers) and became synonymous with the company during the 1950s (the period of this dress).

The pattern initially appears quite simple, but is extremely complex. The ground is white, interspersed with mint green stripes which give the white banding a lacy appearance. These bands are interspersed with a very fine almost drawn bronze floral border, which contrasts with the painterly rose print in yellowish/green.

The dress was obviously expensive and/or well-made as the print matches very well all around the garment. Indeed, it was quite difficult to find a seam. However, this attention to detail is not quite so good where the sleeves meet the bodice at the back, and one must assume that this was because it wasn’t so obviously on display.