Dress, day dress

This dress is made from 'artificial silk', or rayon, a fabric which revolutionised the mass production of ready-to-wear women's dresses. Modern, lightweight and cheaper than real silk, rayon was the fabric of the future. It helped lay the foundation of modern high street fashion.

Plain black artificial silk and black artificial silk printed with a large border design with paisley motif in shades of cream, blue, green and red. Neck with ribbon tie, yoke and long sleeves of the plain black fabric. Neckline piped with printed black fabric and fastening at top of vent with single hook and eye. Long sleeves gathered into narrow cuff fastening with two press studs. Yoke extends centre front and back; this seamed to the front and back panels of the printed fabric, which extend to just below the hips in curve rising at each side. Front and back joined by narrow panels of the plain black extending from under the arms to the hem. Panels of permanently pleated plain black fabric seamed to the curved lower edge of the printed fabric at front and back, forming skirt. Narrow belt of plain weave silk stitched loosely at the hip level. '9-CH' stitched in red thread inside neck, centre back.